My Baby Loves Me
by MichaelJacksonFan227
Summary: A Michael Jackson story. Amanda and Michael meet, but she doesn't know who he is. He disguises himself to have a real chance at love.
1. Chapter 1

It was two a.m. on December 3rd, 2002 and 20 year old Amanda Farris was in her 2001 blue Kia Sportage driving home. She had been at her friend Natalia's house caring for her because she was sick with asthma. Natalia and Amanda had been friends since they began high school. It was with Natalia that Amanda had found the real meaning of friendship. At a young age she learned not to use the word friend lightly. So if Natalia needed something Amanda was right there, and vice versa. And now they are both in college and the friendship had stayed strong.

Amanda felt her eyelids heavy as she continued driving. A few times she even nodded off a bit, which scared her. 'I better pull over before I get into an accident,' she thought. She turned off Highland boulevard, a main street in Los Angeles onto a smaller avenue, a residential street with tall trees and big houses. She pulled over in front of one of them. It was very dark outside except for a few streetlights here and there. She turned off the car, turned off the lights, rolled up the manual windows and locked all the cars doors. 'If I just close my eyes a bit, I'll feel better about driving home,' she thought while leaning her driver seat back and closing her eyes.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

Amanda woke up startled to find a bright light shining in her face.

"Please step out of your vehicle, miss."

"Uh, yes sir." Amanda brought her seat back up to position and fumbled with the door until she finally could open it. She stepped out of the car frightened to have been woken up by a police officer.

She closed the door behind her and looked around. She saw another police officer a few yards off underneath a street lamp on the sidewalk. She was with a man in sweats, tennis shoes and a sweatshirt. He had on aviator sunglasses, which Amanda thought was strange, since it was probably only five in the morning. He was standing with his arms folded talking to the female police officer who was interviewing him.

"We had a complaint about someone sleeping outside this home. What are you doing here?" asked the police officer standing next to her. He was about 6'2" and a strong build. He had a pen and notepad in his hand and jotted down notes as Amanda told him what had happened.

"That was very responsible of you, miss, but I'm afraid that you should move along now. Please show me your license and registration."

"Sure. I have my purse in the trunk." Amanda opened the door and popped the trunk. She walked around to the back and the police officer followed her around to the trunk. She opened it, took out her purse and wallet and handed her information to the officer. He took it and started off towards to where the other officer was, leaving Amanda alone. "Stay here, miss."

The officer spoke to his partner while he continued to write information down. Then both officers shook the mysterious mans hand before coming towards Amanda. "Here are your documents. Be on your way, miss," he said and they started towards their patrol car that still had its lights on.

"Thank you," she said, putting her wallet back in her purse and the purse back in the trunk. Amanda shivered. It was really cold outside. As she was closing the trunk she turned to the man, and smiling she said, "Sorry about the trouble. I'll be on my way now."

'Oh how embarrassing this all is,' she thought as she started towards the car door.

"Hey wait," the man called out to her. Amanda turned around quickly. The man studied her as he moved towards her. She looked like a young woman in her early twenties, light skin, long light brown hair, very straight. She had a lovely thin frame. He looked at her in amazement, so beautiful and so innocent looking, and warm. He was immediately embarrassed to have called the cops on her.

"I'm sorry this all happened. It's just, uh, I thought you were a crazy fan stalking, uh, my boss," he said quickly and apologetically.

She studied him. He stood about 5'10", thin frame, light complexion and looked to be in his thirties. He had a normal sized nose, nothing out of the ordinary, full lips and she noticed he had beautiful teeth when he spoke. His eyes were covered by his sunglasses and he wore the cap of his gray sweatshirt over his head. It was cold outside after all.

He looked down to the grown and looked quite embarrassed. "The officers told me that you had pulled over to close your eyes."

"Well I'm not sleepy now, I can tell you that much!" Amanda responded sarcastically, hoping to get him to smile again, seeing his embarrassment. He let out a laugh.

"So, uh, you said your boss has crazy fans?"

He smiled. "Yeah, I can't tell you who his is though, so don't even ask." They both giggled.

'Wow, that smile. I know that smile from somewhere. It's breathtaking,' she thought to herself. She caught herself staring at him and looked down quickly after realizing he had been staring at her, too. Amanda blushed.

"I'd better get going. People are going to start wondering where I am." She felt like she didn't want to leave, but she knew she'd better.

"I'm so sorry I called the cops on you, and you seem like a nice honest girl. Let me take you to dinner tomorrow, err," he looked down at his wristwatch, "I mean, tonight." He smiled that smile at her again and Amanda blushed a second time.

"I don't even know your name," she looked down embarrassed.

He held out his hand for her to shake it. She took it shyly and he said, "My name is Josh," he said giggling. "How silly of me not to have introduced myself. I know your name is Amanda. I remember seeing it on the police report." They laughed together at that.

Amanda rolled her eyes. "Well nice to meet you, Josh. And sure, I'd love to have dinner with you. Just say where."

Josh took a step back and put his right index finger to the corner of his mouth. "Hmmm. Why don't you meet me here at seven and where I take you will be a surprise," he said grinning. He bit his lip in anticipation of her answer, which she thought was sexy.

"Um… uh… it's against my better judgement, Josh, but okay. I'll meet you here at seven," she said smiling flirtatiously as she started towards her car. She opened the car door and waved as she got in. He waved back and she started the car and sped off.

Michael Jackson walked inside the gate towards his house with his hands in his sweatshirt pockets and the smile still on his face. 'What an awesome girl,' he thought to himself. He went inside the house and into the bathroom. He looked at himself in the mirror. 'Man, these disguises are amazing. I can't believe she didn't recognize me.' He took off his sunglasses and took down the hood of his sweatshirt and fixed his ponytail. He peeled off his fake nose and washed his face.

He walked out of the bathroom and into his room. He had royal red walls, big windows and a beautiful canopy bed, which he laid down on. Michael was so excited to actually have a date with a girl, and for her not to know who he was a first for him. His sister, LaToya, had said in her book that he would have to find someone with a career as big as Michael's, or find someone who didn't know who he was. That seemed so far fetched until now. Sure, he'd gone in disguise before; to the movies with his friends or to the mall, and yeah, it had worked, but he had never had the courage to go up to a woman and ask her out like that before. He was too afraid of being discovered. Michael had always wondered if anyone could look past his fame and love him for himself and not for who he was and what he could give them. It was too hard to distinguish a real friend from a user, so most times he didn't try to find out. But he's always wanted to experience a real relationship. Maybe this was his chance.

Michael's eyes had been closed, but as he was thinking about all of this he opened his eyes and looked over towards the window and saw a few rays of sunlight shining through the curtains. It was morning.


	2. Chapter 2

At noon, Amanda headed back out to Natalia's house to bring her some lunch and to see how she was holding up. This had been her worst asthma attach since she could remember. She had almost died. She had spent a couple days in intensive care because she had puffed up very badly and liquid nearly had fully filled up her lungs. We prayed for her, and she did get better slowly. She had spent nearly a month in the hospital before she was finally discharged. Natalia was told to rest up for a couple of weeks, so Amanda comes over regularly to help her out in anything she needs. Most of all they just hang out. Being alone when you are sick and recovering can be hell. So for the most part Amanda comes over just to be company.

Amanda pulled up in the driveway of Natalia's house. She lived in a small three bedroom house in San Fernando, which is some twenty miles north of Los Angeles, where Amanda lives. She walked right in the front door, since Natalia had given Amanda her house keys. They were like sisters, anyway.

"Naty! I'm here! What are you doing?" She found Natalia lying on the couch.

"Oh I'm just watching some T.V."

"Hey, I brought you some lunch. Thought you might be hungry." She held up the bag she had in her hand. She put the bag on the table and took out the tupperwares. One had spaghetti with homemade meatballs and homemade sauce and in the other she brought homemade bread rolls.

Natalia got up for two plates and put them on the table. While Amanda was serving out of the containers, Natalia went into the fridge for two cans of soda.

"Hey Amanda," Natalia said as she scrunched her eyes to look at Amanda closely. "What happened to you, you look like hell! Didn't you get any sleep last night?"

That made Amanda laugh. "Well thanks a lot, Naty!"

"Well? What? Tell me!"

"Funny story, I was on my way home, and I was _almost_ there, too, but I had to pull over because I was so tired, and so I did. Next thing I know, I've had the cops called on me. By then it was five in the morning, I guess I had been out for a couple of hours, and there was a guy who apparently works at the house I was parked in front of, angry because I was parked there. I guess a famous person lives there and they thought I was a stalker."

"Oh. My. God." Natalia slapped her hand to her face.

"Oh, but that's not the best part!" Natalia shook her head in disbelief. "That angry guy ended up asking me out!"

"What a jerk!" Natalia yelled. "First he calls the cops on you, then he asks he asks you out?" Natalia scrunched her eyebrows. "Who does he think he is?"

"He apologized after the cops told him why I had been there in the first place. He seems so nice an sincere, oh, and his name is Josh and Naty, he has a smile to _die _for."

"Wow. All I have to say is, wow," Natalia said as she sopped up the last of her sauce with her roll.

"We're going to have dinner tonight. I'm meeting him back at that house."

"What? You said yes?"

"Yeah!"

"You say he works there? What does he do?"

"I don't know."

"And I wonder who he works for."

"I don't know. He wouldn't say."

"So you're going to meet some strange guy at some strange house, knowing nothing at all about him except his name is Josh? He could be a serial killer for goodness sake!"

Amanda picked up the dirty dishes and put them in the sink. She turned on the hot water to start washing them. "You know what else is weird? He had sunglasses on. At five in the morning."

"Amanda! You sure you know what your doing?"

"Well, no," she said as she started to rinse. "But you got to go with your gut. I've got a really great feeling about this guy. Who cares how we met?"

There was silence. Natalia sighed. "Everyone has to have a story, don't they?" Natalia said, sitting back down on the couch.

"Yeah," Amanda replied, drying off her hands.

* * *

It was 4:30 in the afternoon and Kai, Michael's cook, walked into the study where Michael was sitting. He was in his big executive chair staring out of the window pensively.

"Sorry, Mr. Jackson, I came to ask what you'd like for dinner."

Michael jumped a bit in his chair. He looked down and smiled. "Oh you scared me, Kai," he said shaking his head. "No, I forgot to tell you, I'm going out tonight."

"Okay, Mr. Jackson." And she walked out of the room.

Michael was excited. This was the first time he'd been able to go out in awhile. But this time was special. Everything to seemed to be right about this. He had a break in his busy schedule, and most of all, she had no idea who he was. He wondered how long he would be able to pull it off. He wondered what in the world he'd tell her.

He walked into his closet and picked out clothes for the date. He decided on a light blue button up shirt and a thing black jacket with black slacks. He pulled out a nice fedora to complete the outfit. 'I'd better get done up because it'll be time before I know it. I'll want to be ready and answer the intercom before anyone else does and tells her she's got the wrong house,' he thought as he walked into his bathroom. He put on his fake nose and put on makeup to even out the lines. He fixed his ponytail, and then got dressed. He looked at himself one last time in the mirror before he put on his sunglasses and his fedora and went out into the waiting room to listen for the intercom. He looked at his watch. It was almost seven. He had butterflies in his stomach.

* * *

It was exactly seven when Amanda pulled up to the house where she had been a little more than twelve hours before. Her heart was beating extremely fast. She got out of her Kia and walked over to the gate. She looked for a doorbell, but found an intercom and rang it. A voice answered, "Good evening."

"Yes, I'm here to see Josh." There was silence. "Hello?"Amanda asked tapping the intercom thinking that it had stopped working. She looked inside the gate and saw Josh running towards her. He opened the gate and stepped out of it. He fixed his jacket and smiled at her.

"Hi," she said

"Hi yourself. If you don't mind, let's go in your car. I don't drive."

"Sure. Let's go." She turned around walking towards the car and Michael admired her. She looked beautiful. She had on a white dress that came up to her knees and was A lined and flowed freely about her. It had a thick black belt underneath her breast. She had a thin black cardigan over it and stylish black stilettos. 'Oh how I love a girl in stilettos,' he thought watching her get in the car. He climbed in the passenger side.

"You know the Ivy restaurant on Robinson boulevard?"

"Yeah. I've heard of it. It's a ritzy place, though."

Michael laughed. "Yeah, it's okay. I'd like to take you there. I've already made reservations."

Amanda and Michael pulled into the valet and they got out of the car. She handed the valet her keys and they walked inside the restaurant. They were seated in a quaint table with candles in the far corner of the restaurant.

"Miss," he said as he pulled out her chair.

Amanda was impressed. "Thank you," she answered.

"It's real bright in here, isn't it?" Amanda joked, referring to his sunglasses. Michael laughed. "Do you ever take those off?" she asked pointing to his sunglasses.

"Yeah, but only when I sleep!" They laughed. "It's just I just had a little eye surgery done and I can't take them off for a couple days," he lied. He knew that if he let her see his eyes, she was sure to recognize him.

"You promise you'll let me see them one day, won't you?"

"Yes, of course." 'But not quite yet,' he thought to himself.

"So what do you do, Amanda?"

"I'm a college student. I study civil engineering at CSUN."

"Wow, a smart woman. I like that. That's very attractive."

"Thank you," Amanda said blushing.

Just then the waiter came and took their order. They both ordered fetuccini alfredo with steamed vegetables. "Great minds think alike," Michael said.

"Yep! So Josh, what is it that you do for this famous boss of yours?"

"Well, I just take care of the house for him."

"That's it?" asked Amanda surprised.

"Yeah, he's out of town for awhile, so he asked me to watch the house for him."

"Ah," Amanda said. If only she could get an easy job like that, she could literally get paid to sit and do her schoolwork.

"You look very beautiful tonight," Michael said admiring the way she did her light brown hair, half up and half down. She was beautiful and smart. Michael thought he had hit the jackpot.

After dinner, Michael suggested they go to Citywalk in Universal City. They had lots of shops, night clubs, restaurants, a theater, waterfalls and water games. They were walking along the way looking at things through the shop windows. They came across a PEZ store.

"Oh I love PEZ," Michael said.

"Let's go inside then," Amanda grabbed his hand and they went inside. "Look, they have dispenser decorated with animals, Disney characters, movie characters, oh look Josh! They have Jesus!"

"People collect these things, you know. I like to look at them, they're funny."

Amanda turned to Michael and said, "I've lived so close to this my whole life. I can't believe I've never been here."

"I'm honored I could be the first one to share this with you," he said looking into her eyes. Amanda realized then that they were still holding hands. She looked back at him and he was smiling. Amanda felt those butterflies again.

They walked out of the store and there was an ice cream stand just outside. "You want some?"

"Sure" Michael said. They kept walking slowly hand in hand up Citywalk eating their ice cream, talking and laughing, enjoying each others company. They got to a spot where you could walk onto timed jets of water that would fly up. You could either watch the little watershow or get in and get wet.

"Wow that's neat! Come on, let's get wet!" Amanda challenged Michael.

"You don't have to tell _me _twice." They both ran into the jets, trying to synchronize themselves with the water streams and not get wet. A jet came up and Michael moved out of the way. Another came up by Amanda and she wasn't so fortunate, she got a stream of water up her dress. Michael burst out laughing. Another burst then came up behind them, and Amanda pushed him into it, wetting the back of his clothes and ponytail, almost knocking his fedora off of his head. They were both laughing hysterically. They even had a few spectators watching them.

Michael turned to her and said, "It's getting late. I'd better take you home."

"Take _me _home?"

He smiled, "I mean, you better take _me_ home!"

Amanda pulled up to his house and they got out of the car and were standing in front of the gate. "Thank you, Josh. I had a great time."

"I had a great time, too. I haven't done this in a long time. It really means so much to me. I want to thank _you_, Amanda, for just being you. You don't have any idea how important that is."

Amanda blushed. "Thank you. And what do you mean you haven't done this in awhile? You're wonderful, nice, smart and cute. That seems a little hard to believe."

"It's kind of hard to explain. But thank you, you're so sweet. I'm glad I called the cops on you. Otherwise I would have never met you." He put his hand to her cheek and caressed it. Then he pulled her chin towards his face and gave her a kiss on the corner of her mouth. He moved his lips to hers and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. "Can I call you later? I'd like to see you again," he said, still an inch from her face. She could feel his breath on her as he spoke.

She didn't move her face from his when she took a slip of paper out of a pocket in her cardigan and put it into his jacket pocket. "I already had my number written down." Her heart was beating a thousand times a minute.

He pulled away gently and smiled and bit his lip. "Goodnight, Amanda."

'Oh God, he must know he drives me wild when he bites his lip like that. That must be why he does it,' she thought. "Goodnight, Josh."

Michael stayed there and watched her drive off, just as he had done earlier that morning.


	3. Chapter 3

During the next week Amanda had classes. Everyday she and Michael would send text messages to each other. One of the days of the following week after their date, she was in her communications class at CSUN, and suddenly she felt her cell phone vibrate. She took it out of her back jeans pocket and looked at it.

"Hey girl. Miss you," it said. She smiled. Her mind went back to the night when she last saw him and how he had so gently kissed her and how he said he wanted to see her again. She felt those butterflies in her stomach all over again and that excitement of a new love blossoming.

The next day while in calculus class, her phone vibrated again. It was him.

"Amanda. Can't wait to see you again," it said. She put her phone away and couldn't stop smiling. The professor saw Amanda confused, wondering what about her calculus lecture could possibly make her so happy.

On Wednesday afternoon, after her last class, Amanda headed back over to Natalia's house who lived very close to her school. She couldn't wait to tell someone how she was feeling inside. Amanda takes her schoolwork very seriously, so she hadn't had the chance to gossip.

Once inside, Natalia said, "Oh my gosh, Amanda! Tell me what happened on your date!"

"Well hello to you, too!" Natalia shrugged, obviously not caring that she had been so insistent.

"Oh, Naty it was great. We had dinner and talked about everything you could imagine. We talked about you, too, and he'd like to meet you. Anyway, we were having such a good time at dinner and the conversation was so interesting we didn't want to leave. After dinner, we took a walk at Citywalk, and we held hands and got wet, and when we got back he kissed me! A small kiss, but it was so romantic! He is so smart, Naty, and funny, and a gentleman!" Amanda sank down onto Natalia's couch with a dreamy look on her face.

"Well, he sure does sound great. He better be great, or else he'll hear from me!" Amanda chuckled.

That moment her phone vibrated again.

"Who is it, is it him?" asked Natalia eagerly.

"Yes! He says, 'How about a sunset hike later? Meet me here at six?'" Natalia and Amanda looked at each other and both of them squealed like junior high school girls.

"I'll be there at six. Can't wait," Amanda texted back. She hadn't been able to get him out her head since they met a few days earlier.

"Well what are you waiting for, go home and get ready," Natalia said. She saw the hesitant look on Amanda's face. She added, "don't worry about me, girl, I'm fine. And next week I'll be able to go back to school anyway."

"Okay. Call you tomorrow!" She drove back home and took a quick shower. She put on tight dark gray sweats with two pink lines going down the side of the leg. She put on a tight white tank top and a zip up sweatshirt that matched the pants and hugged her figure. She bent down to tie her white nike tennis shoes. She grabbed her hair in a pony tail and headed out of the door to Michael's house.

This time when she got to the house he was waiting outside for her in the lawn in his black adidas sweats. He had his hoodie over his head because this December in LA was quite cold. Of course he had on his aviators. Couldn't leave home without them.

"Hey Amanda!" He opened up the gate and hugged her. "Let's go before we miss the sunset." They drove to the Angeles National Forest which was some 15 minutes away. They got out and Michael put on a backpack he had brought.

They started up a trail and Michael said, "How have you been? How's school?"

"Great. Haven't been able to think straight though."

"Oh and do I have something to do with that?" he asked with a big smile on this face.

"A little," she joked.

He grabbed her hand and held it tightly. "You know, Amanda, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you, either. "Oh look," he pointed, "this is what I wanted to show you." They walked up to a cliff that was facing to the west. It was a perfect view of the sunset. They sat down together and Amanda stared at the beautiful view of the sun going down.

"Oh Josh, this is so... beautiful. I've never seen anything like it before."

"Me either," Michael said. She turned to look at him only to discover he was staring at her instead of the sunset. He looked inter her blue eyes. "I haven't seen anything as beautiful as you look right now."

She stared at his full lips remembering how soft and warm they were. His lips met hers swiftly and Amanda felt bliss. He kissed her passionately, devouring her mouth slowly with his lips, tongue and teeth, biting her bottom lip occasionally. He had her face in his hands, possesively, as if he felt like someone would take this moment away from him. She kissed him back. She had waited for this moment since she'd met him. Amanda broke off their first kiss slowly and gently to put her hand to his face and caressed it. She admired his features, his high cheekbones, his square jaw. She thought they were masculine and sexy.

They both stood up and contentedly continued their romantic hike silently hand in hand through the moonlit Angeles forest. They came to a lake.

"Let's stop here," Michael said. Amanda followed him to where he sat down and took his backpack off and opened it. He took out strawberries and a container with chocolate dip.

Amanda raised her eyebrows suspiciously. "Josh, what's all this?"

"Nothing," Michael said with a smirk on his face. "Just thought we'd might get hungry, is all." Michael took a strawberry and dipped it into the chocolate. He guided it toward Amanda's mouth. She apparently wasn't ready for it and got chocolate on her nose instead.

Michael burst out laughing. "You were supposed to eat it, not sniff it!"

"Oh, so you thing that's funny?"

"Yeah," he giggled, still laughing at the dot of chocolate on her nose.

Next thing he knew Amanda had dipped her finger into the chocolate and made an 'O' on his forehead. "Now _that_ is funny," Amanda said.

"Oh no you just didn't do that!" As he said that Amanda got up and ran as Michael ran right behind her with the chocolate container in his hand. He caught her with his free hand around her waist and pulled her backwards towards him. He reached around and dipped her chin into the container.

"Aaaaaah!" She turned around. When he saw her he fell to the ground and started cracking up.

"It looks like you have a chocolate beard!"

"Oh yeah?" Amanda grabbed the container out of his hand which was weak from so much laughing and sat on top of him so he couldn't move. She proceeded to empty the container down the front of his pants.

"Nooo!" he yelled though his laughter. She got up off of him and started to run along the lake. "I'm going to get you, girl!" He caught up with her and dragged her into the lake with him.

"Oh my God!" she screamed in delight. They were laughing so hard. Amanda loved his laugh and his smile. They were intoxicating.

They finally caught their breath and calmed down a bit. "You're crazy, girl! I like that," Michael said, washing the 'O' off of his forehead and the chocolate out of his pants the best he could. She did the same and they walked out of the lake. "Let's head back."

"It's starting to get really cold, Josh."

"Yeah, I'm freezing too." They walked back to Amanda's Kia. By the time they got there they were almost completely dry.

Once they were back at the house Michael said, " Would you like to come in? If you want to have a shower or maybe get changed. I think I have some sweats and a shirt that would fit you."

"Thanks, Josh, but you know I shouldn't. This isn't your house. I wouldn't feel right about it."

"My boss isn't home, Amanda. I'm sure one quick shower would be okay," he insisted. "Besides, you should get out of those wet clothes. You could get sick."

"Well, maybe a quick change would be alright."

* * *

Michael walked Amanda in through the backyard, in through the back door. He had some portraits and family photos in the receiving rooms that wouldn't be appropriate for her to see just yet. From the back door and through a hallway was the entrance to a large guest room that also had its own bathroom.

"This is my room," he lied.

"Wow it's beautiful. It looks big enough to be a master bedroom!"

"The bathroom's through there if you want to take a shower. I'll go get some clothes for you," Michael said as he walked out of the door.

Amanda looked around the room and saw that it was magnificent. It had large windows and teal wallpaper. It had cherry wood furniture and a king sized four poster bed. She looked around at the artwork on the walls. Is that original work? She stepped forward to get a closer look.

Michael walked back into the room and Amanda jumped. "Here you go. You taking a shower?"

"No, I'll take one at home. Really. Thanks for the clothes."

"Then if you don't mind, I _will_. I believe I still have some chocolate in my pants," Michael said smilling. "I'll be right back." He walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind him. She heard the shower start up.

She took off her wet sweatshirt and top and bra and put them on the floor. She took off her sweatpants and panties as well because they were also still damp. She reached for the sweatpants that Michael had left for her folded on the bed.

Then Michael opened the door to the bathroom. He'd forgot a towel and remembered there was one in one of the dresser drawers. To his surprise he saw Amanda there, naked, reaching for the sweatpants on the bed. Michael's eyes popped as he saw her beautiful body. He watched her as she put on the sweatpants and leaned over again to retreive the t shirt. Michael gently closed the door. His heart was racing. He took a quick shower being careful not to wet himself above his chest so that his nose wouldn't come off. He dried himself with his shirt that he had on before and changed, put on his sunglasses and walked out of the bathroom.

He found Amanda at the mirror of the dresser, fixing her ponytail. She smiled at him, and Michael didn't smile back. He walked over to her and brought his face to hers and kissed her. She kissed him back, excitedly. Michael broke off the kiss to look into her eyes. 'I need to tell her how I feel about her.' He felt his heart jump. "I have feelings for you, Amanda. I've never felt like this before."

"I do too, Josh." He kissed her again, passionately and rough at first and then slowed down and kissed her gently, savoring her flavor. He wished he could touch her, have her. But he wouldn't do anything she didn't want to do. He was a gentleman. He would wait.

"It's getting late, I'd better go. I have school tomorrow and I have to get up early. Maybe we could finish where we left off... soon?"

"Let me walk you to your car." They walked out of the house and around to the front again, where her car was still parked on the street.

They kissed again, said their goodbyes and Amanda drove off into the night.

Michael walked back into the house, through the front door this time, and into his own room. He sighed heavily and threw himself backwards onto his bed. 'I can't believe this is happening. I never thought this would happen to me. I'm falling in love with this girl.' He sighed again, remembering the sight of her lovely body as she changed clothes, imagining what it would be like to touch her, and for their two bodies to become one. 'I love this girl, and a relationship cannot end well if it has begun in lies. I have to tell her the truth. _I will tell her the truth,'_ he thought as he fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

The next day Marlon Jackson, Michael's older brother, came over to Michael's house because he was in LA from Georgia visiting his mother. He decided to visit Michael before heading back to Georgia to his family.

They were sitting in the family room on a comfortable sofa.

"What's new, Mike? How ya been?" Marlon asked.

Michael shyly looked down. "Well, I actually am doing very well."

"You got a girl, don't you Mike?" Marlon said proudly punching Michael in the arm.

"Well, yeah," Michael answered.

"You dog!" Marlon said, excited. "So tell me, who is she now?"

"Her name is Amanda, she's in college, she's smart, she's sexy, she's fun…" Michael said slowly, listing her qualities one by one.

"Hey that's great. I'm happy for you, Michael." Marlon said, more seriously.

"I need some advice, Marlon. I'm glad you came. I need to talk to someone real bad."

"What is it Mike?" Marlon asked concerned, shifting on the couch.

"You see, there's a problem."

"Uh-huh," Marlon shook his head urging Michael to go on.

"She, uh, doesn't know, er, who I am." Michael said shamefully.

Marlon let out a big laugh. "Brother, how can she _not_ know who you are?" Michael then explained to him how they had met. Marlon snickered.

"I was already in disguise to go outside and talk to the officers. She apologized to me so sweetly about everything and then I felt so bad about the situation." Marlon's snicker became a full fledged laugh. "Then I saw how beautiful she was. I noticed she didn't recognize me, so I played along. I told her my name was Josh. I even asked her out. I thought it would be fun to get to know a girl as a normal guy. I wanted to know if, since people seem to think that I am so weird, someone could get to know me and like me."

Marlon's expression turned serious and contemplating.

"I wanted to know that someone could look past my money and my fame and like me for me. I mean, for all she knows, Marlon, all I do is take care of someone's house. She doesn't know what I will do to support myself after the 'boss' gets home. I think she's answered so many questions that I've had all my life in just a few weeks."

Marlon straightened up on the couch. "Man, that's tough though. You gonna tell her who you are?"

Michael shook his head around trying to look inside it for an answer. He stood up and raised his palms up and sighed heavily. "I wish I didn't have to, honestly. But last night I realized I am falling in love with this girl and I want to be with her. I _have_ to tell her, Marlon."

"And how you going to do it? Take off your glasses and your nose and say, 'Guess what I'm Michael Jackson! Come and get me?'" Marlon joked.

"No, Marlon, stop it. Of course not." Michael sat back down. "Christmas is coming up soon, and I was thinking of inviting her over and giving her something special and meaningful. Then telling her exactly what she means to me, spill my guts out to her, explain my situation slowly and then revealing my little secret. I know she'd understand."

"Well I guess that's what you have to do then. Good luck little brother. You got yourself into a fine mess."

Michael chuckled. "Yeah, I seem to be good at that." Just then Michael's cell went off. It was on an end table on the far end of the room. Michael stood up to get the phone. "I wonder what they want now," Michael thought out loud.

He picked up the phone and saw there was a message from Amanda. 'I'm in between classes and thinking of you. I can't get the taste of you off my lips. Don't want to,' it said. Michael's mind immediately went back to the memory of her naked in the guest room and how good he felt when he kissed her.

"What are you smiling about, Mike?" Marlon asked. Michael came back to reality.

"Oh, nothing, just thinking."

* * *

Amanda was rushing to her next class which was in ten minutes and halfway across campus when her cell phone went off. I was a call from Michael.

"Hey Josh! You got my message, didn't you?" Amanda chimed.

"Hello beautiful, of course I did. Hey, I was wondering, are you free anytime next week?"

"I have Christmas vacation that starts next week," she replied.

"Being as it is Christmas next week, I have a present for you."

"Oh Josh, you didn't have to get me a present."

"I wanted to. I also want to invite you over to a special dinner. I hope you'd like to spend Christmas with me."

"Of course I'd love to!"

* * *

Christmas day came around and Michael had everything all set up. He had Amanda coming over with Natalia at 6PM for dinner. He had Kai prepare a honey ham, mashed potatoes, yam, and a salad. He would give Amanda her gift later on in the evening and tell her who he was. Natalia was coming over because Amanda told him that her family was visiting other relatives and Natalia stayed behind. Michael told her to bring her along so she could have Christmas dinner with them. Kai was getting the table set and getting the finishing touches on the food. Michael then decided to get ready. He did his usual routine getting ready. He came to the receiving room and waited.

'I'd better let them in though the back like last time until I've told her,' he though to himself as he heard the intercom go off. 'It's Amanda!' he thought as he ran nervously out of the front door. 'This is it, it's now or never.' He ran through the vast front yard and to the gate. He saw Amanda standing there with her friend. She was holding a gift wrapped box. He let them in and hugged Amanda. He led them halfway up the sunny path to a large stone fountain. There, he sat down and invited them to sit with him.

"It's a beautiful day outside, isn't it?" Michael remarked.

"Yes, it is," Amanda answered holding his hand tightly.

Natalia, who was on the other side of Amanda, jumped when she heard Michael's voice. She leaned over and tried to get a good look at him, but then Kai appeared with appetizers which startled her. Amanda stood up to get one and Michael stood up too, but to shake Natalia's hand.

"Hi, it's nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you."

Natalia looked at the contour of his face and listening to his voice and immediately recognized him. She stood there, staring at him with her eyes wide open. That made Michael smile. That and the fact that she wouldn't let go of his hand.

Amanda then turned around, and noticed Natalia's expression. Kai noticed it too, and put down her silver tray on the fountain edge.

"What, do you two know each other?" Amanda asked looking back and forth at the both of them, obviously confused.

"Are you kidding me? Amanda, this is…" Natalia started.

Kai thought quickly and interrupted her, mid sentence. "There is someone who would like to meet you inside," Kai said quickly.

"Yes, let me take you," Michael said offering her his arm, which she accepted. She looked at her arm in his with her big eyes still bugging. Michael turned around and told Amanda, "I'll be right back." He walked inside with Kai following close behind. Amanda sat down on the fountain and played with the water, waiting.

Inside, Natalia was hysterical. "You're Michael Jackson! I'd know that face anywhere!" Natalia screamed.

"Yes, yes. I am. Calm down," Michael shushed, laughing, holding both of Natalia's arms in his hands.

"Amanda has no clue who you are, Michael."

"No, she doesn't. I plan on telling her today." Natalia nodded, understanding. "Feel free to look around or have a seat in the dining room. I'll go get Amanda."

* * *

Meanwhile…

Amanda sat patiently playing with the water in the fountain. Just then she heard a car pull up and saw a handsome man get out of his black shiny Mercedes. He was a black man, tall, with a nice smile. "Hello," he said extending his hand to her.

"Hello, I'm Amanda. You… look familiar."

"Hi, I'm Jermaine Jackson."

"Oh my goodness, Jermaine Jackson? Wow, it's nice to meet you." 'This must be Josh's boss,' Amanda thought to herself.

Jermaine laughed, "Nice to meet you, too. Are you here with Mike?"

"Mike? What? No, I'm here to have dinner with Josh."

"Josh? Hmmm. He must be one of Michael's employees."

"Michael's employees? Michael who?"

Jermaine laughed. "Michael Jackson!"

"Michael Jackson? What? So this isn't your house?"

"No, silly. This is my brother Michael's house."

"Whoa! No wonder Josh didn't want to tell me who lived here." Amanda looked down, contemplating what she was just told.

"Speaking of the devil! Hey Mike! How have you been?" Michael was walking out of the front door, with Natalia right behind him. Jermaine walked up to him with his arms open to hug him.

Michael froze. Jermaine couldn't have come at the worst time.

"Mike? Josh? What?" Amanda was so confused.

Michael paid no attention to Jermaine and left him with his arms open. He ran towards Amanda who was slowly backing away, realizing just then who she was really talking to. Natalia was in the front door with her hand over her mouth in disbelief.

"Amanda, I was going to tell you, tonight. It wasn't supposed to happen like this." Michael begged.

"Michael Jackson? YOU are Michael Jackson?"

"Yes," Michael replied

"I feel, so…. so… stupid."

"No, Amanda, don't feel that way, please."

"I can't help it. You lied to me. I let myself out there and you lied to me."

"I know I did, but…" pleading.

Amanda turned and walked towards the gate, feeling hurt and betrayed. "I've gotta go."

Natalia ran out after her. Michael pleaded, "No, Amanda, please don't go like this." He caught her and spun her around holding her arms and looking into her eyes. He took off his glasses and ripped off his nose. "Look at me, this is who I am. And I love you, Amanda." Her eyes opened wide as she saw his eyes for the first time. There were tears in his eyes. They were so sad, she just wanted to console him. She started to cry.

But her anger got the best of her and Amanda shook herself free and ran out of the gate and towards her car. "I've got to go!" she cried. She got into her car and Natalia got into the passenger seat and with the tears streaming down her cheeks they sped off.

Michael was devastated. The only time he's felt love, and it was gone. He fell onto the grass and cried.

'


	5. Chapter 5

Amanda was driving a little too fast for Natalia's comfort. Tears were still in her eyes as they sped down the freeway towards Natalia's house in San Fernando.

"I can't believe you were dating Michael Jackson!" Natalia said, still excited about having met the absolute most famous person in the world.

"No, I was dating a liar! I thought I was falling for him. But now I realize I knew nothing about him."

"I think you're being way too harsh. He's Michael Jackson for goodness sakes. He probably can't just meet anyone without them being interested in what they can get out of him. I can imagine people going after him to get famous of to get rich. He seemed like he really was into you," Natalia protested.

"Just because he's Michael Jackson doesn't mean he gets to get away with lying to me."

They rode the rest of the way in silence until they pulled into the driveway of Natalia's house. They sat in the car for awhile and while wiping a tear from her cheek, Amanda turned to Natalia and said, "I just feel cheated somehow, you know? Like he just wanted to have a little fun. Like the joke was on me. The stupid girl who didn't recognize Michael Jackson."

"Yeah really, Amanda. How did you _**not**_ recognize him? I mean, even with the glasses and the nose, anyone could tell it was him."

Amanda let out a small laugh. "I don't know, I guess I've been so into my studies all my life I've never really paid much attention to celebrities."

"Bad excuse if I have ever heard one," Natalia said. "You've never heard a Michael Jackson song?" Natalia asked, her eyebrows high and her eyes as wide as the full moon.

"Yeah, I actually have some of his CD's at my house."

They got out of the car and entered Natalia's living room. "All I can say is this was the best Christmas ever!" Natalia said, flopping herself on the couch.

Amanda laughed. "Shut up! Hey Naty, can I crash here tonight? I don't think I can make it back to LA."

"Sure. Of course. You've got too much to think about anyway."

"Thanks, Naty."

Amanda walked into the second bedroom and closed the door behind her. She slowly reached the bed and laid on it and stared at the ceiling. Her cell phone rang just then and without looking she reached into her pocket and took out her phone. 'Josh calling….' Her heart wrenched as she saw that name. "Josh calling? You mean Michael Jackson calling," she said out loud to herself as she pressed the ignore button and put the phone down next to her.

Her eyes returned to the ceiling. 'I didn't even know his name!' Her eyes started to tear up. 'He probably over 40 years old and wait… doesn't he have children? I wonder if anything he said was true, like when he talked about loving to read and loving to swim.' The phone rang again and she picked it up just to turn it off. She turned over and with her head still spinning in her thoughts she closed her eyes to try to get some rest.

* * *

Jermaine Jackson stared in disbelief at the scene that had unfolded before him. He ran towards where Michael had fallen and reached down to help him up.

"Brother, I apologize. I didn't know."

Michael got up slowly, his eyes puffy from crying. He put his hand on Jermaine's arm. "I know, Jermaine."

His gaze turned toward where Amanda had been sitting. He was surprised to realize that the gift wrapped box that Amanda had brought with her was still sitting there.

"I didn't get a chance to give her her gift. She must have brought one for me," he said sadly.

He broke free from Jermaine and walked toward the fountain and picked up the gift. He turned it around looking at it, inspecting every inch of the beautifully and carefully wrapped box. He took it with him inside the house and set it on his desk in his study. He sat down in his luxurious chair and stared at it with his arms crossed. Jermaine followed him into the study. He saw Michael pensive.

"Hey Michael? If I may ask, what just happened out there? Do you want to talk about it?"

"Amanda's a girl I met. I invited her to tell her how I felt about her and to tell her the truth about myself. She didn't know who I was. Maybe I shouldn't have done it like that. Maybe I shouldn't have made myself up. Maybe I shouldn't have…" Michael was interrupted.

"Michael, there's no use in beating yourself up like that." Jermaine pointed out.

"I know, but I love her and I feel so bad. I did lie to her, but she wouldn't let me explain."

"Women have a thing about men lying to them I've noticed! But call her, Mike! What are you waiting for?"

"You're right," Michael picked up the phone that was in front of him and dialed Amanda's cell phone. There was no answer. He laid the phone back on the receiver.

"No answer?" Jermaine asked.

"No," Michael replied sadly.

"I'm sorry about this mess. I had just come over to visit you, since I knew you weren't busy these days. I'll leave you to yourself," Jermaine said backing out towards the door. "But if there's anything I can do, just let me know."

"Thanks, Jermaine." Jermaine left. Michael picked up the phone again and tried to call Amanda again. 'If she would just hear me out, I could get this straightened out.' This time it rang twice and went straight to her voicemail. He hung up again, frustrated. He sat there thinking for awhile. 'How can I get her attention?' he thought.

"Jermaine!" Michael yelled suddenly, looking for his brother. "Jermaine! Can you get in contact with Jennifer Batten for me?" 'I have to try something, and if this doesn't work, I don't know what will,' he thought to himself as he ran out of the study looking for his older brother.

* * *

Amanda woke up that morning and decided to make her friend breakfast. Little did she know Natalia was already up and had made eggs and bacon. "Good morning sleepyhead. It's already 10 am!"

"Good morning, I was going to make you breakfast."

"Beat you to it!"

Amanda smiled and sat down at the table. Natalia served both of their breakfasts and sat down and they both started eating.

"You remember my ex boyfriend Jason?" Amanda reminisced.

"Whoa where did he come from? Of course I remember him."

"I was thinking of him last night. Remember how he cheated on me all the time and lied to me? I had swore to myself that I would never let someone do that to me again."

"Yeah, but this is Michael Jackson. I'll tell you again, he can't go out and meet women like everyone else. He'd get mobbed."

"Yeah, Naty, but my point is he lied to me. Michael would really have to prove to me that he does care for me. All Jason proved to me was that he didn't."

"Then you're going to have to give him a chance to prove himself, aren't you?" Natalia retorted.

* * *

_**A few days later...**_

"Did you convince her to come?" Michael asked Natalia by text message.

Natalia sent one back, "Yeah, it wasn't easy though. You owe me big."

Michael laughed at her message. I sure do owe her big.

Michael had rented out a small night club for the night. He cashed in a few favors owed to him and rounded up his musicians and a DJ, and had some of his family members and close friends to act as doormen, waitresses, bartenders and fellow dancers. Most people close to Michael would do anything for him anyway. He was going to knock Amanda's socks off. He was going to woo her like no woman has been wooed before.

Amanda and Natalia arrived at the night club around ten as planned. Amanda was wearing skin tight stonewashed blue jeans with a white lace inspired top with a touch of gold in it. Her short jacket was denim as well and it was fitted at the waist. She wore her hair up in a ponytail and wore large gold hoop earrings. The DJ was playing "Get The Party Started" by Pink. There were already people on the dance floor dancing and grooving. Natalia guided to a table near the dance floor that had a "reserved" card on it.

"This looks like this is our table. You want to dance? Or should I get you something to drink?"

"Yeah, get me a pepsi."

"Okay. I'll be right back."

Once Natalia left the table the song the DJ was playing turned to "I Can't Get You Out Of My Head" by Kylie Minogue. 'Oh how appropriate,' she thought to herself. She looked around the place and figured it wasn't too full. There weren't many people to dance with. The night was young, and maybe more people would come later.

Natalia came back from the bar with 2 pepsis. "Wait to see who's going to be here tonight," Natalia yelled over the music. "There's suppose to be a good local band playing."

Amanda looked over to the stage and saw the instruments there. She saw some of the band members arrange their things. It looked like they were about ready to get playing.

"Too bad more people aren't here to see them, then." Amanda replied.

She heard the tap of the drum and Amanda looked over to where the band started playing. The guitar was smooth and sad and the piano was soothing. 'Wow' Amanda thought this song was beautiful from the beginning. To her surprise, Michael walked right out to where Amanda was sitting and with a tear running down his cheek, he started to sing.

_**Don't walk away  
See I just can't find the right thing to say  
I tried but all my pain gets in the way  
Tell me what I have to do so you'll stay  
Should I get down on my knees and pray  
How can I stop losing you?  
How can I begin to say?  
When there's nothing left to do but walk away**_

The entire night club went black but a spotlight that was on Michael and Amanda. Michael reached for Amanda's hand and took it, standing her up in front of him.

**_I close my eyes  
Just to try and see you smile one more time  
But it's been so long now all I do is cry  
Can't we find some love to take this away  
Cause the pain gets stronger every day  
How can I begin again?  
And how am I to understand?  
When there's nothing left to do but walk away_**

Amanda was so touched, and so blown away. The only thing she could do was stare at him in amazement. 'He does care about me' she thought while Michael was singing to her. She couldn't help but shed a tear of sadness hearing Michael sing and hurt so much. Michael pulled her close to him, pulled her chin up so she could look him straight in the eye, no makeup, no glasses. He looked down in her eyes and sang his heart out.

_**See and why all my dreams are broken  
I don't know where we're going  
When everything was said and all we've done now  
Don't let go, I don't want to walk away**_

**_And why all my dreams been broken  
I don't know where we're going  
When everything we give will set us fee  
Can't you see, I don't want to walk away_**

**_If you go, I won't forget you girl  
Can't you see that you belong to me  
Even though I had to let you go  
(Don't you leave me girl)  
There's nothing left to do  
Don't walk away_**

Michael bent down and kissed Amanda passionately. Not passion that they had felt before, but a passion of having regained a love lost which is a passion sweeter still. Amanda kissed him back having missed him so much these days they hadn't been together. She reached her arms up around his neck and and pulled him close. She felt his face and hair with her hands, longing to know every part of him. They embraced without caring who saw them. The lights went on and they broke apart. Everyone in the club applauded and cheered. Amanda looked around and noticed who she assumed were his family and friends. Amanda looked back at Michael who's eyes did not leave her.

"I've missed you so much. I do care for you, Amanda. I need you in my life. Please don't leave me, let me explain everything," Michael pleaded still holding her tight.

"I've missed you too, Michael. Believe me. I've been through hell these past couple days. I understand why you did what you did. I just have been hurt in the past, and I didn't want to be hurt again. I just needed to know that you cared for me, and I wasn't just some game of yours." She put his face in her hands. She drunk in the sight of him. She couldn't get enough of him.

"Of course you are no game. I am the same person you got to know, just the name is different."

Amanda laughed. "Yeah," She hugged Michael as tightly as she could. She thought she would explode from happiness. Michael held her just as tight.

"Amanda, I want to know if you'd be my girl." Michael said softly kissing her hair.

"Of course, Michael."

"Good. Now, have a seat, girl, I have another surprise for you!" He ran towards the stage, spotlight on him and reenergized with his newfound happiness, Michael called on Randy, Jermaine and Tito and the music started again and smiling as widely as he could smile, he began to sing.

* * *

_**TO BE CONTINUED... THIS STORY IS NOT OVER YET! NOT EVEN CLOSE! THANKS FOR ALL YOUR COMMENTS. THEY ARE AN INSPIRATION TO ME AND ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED.**_


	6. Chapter 6

The music was catchy and upbeat. It was called 'Lovely One' and was one of the Jacksons hits from back in 1980. His brother Tito was on guitar, Jermaine was on bass and Randy was on keyboard. They started jamming and Michael started to sing. Then everyone, even the supposed waitresses and bartenders, were on the dancefloor. The ones who had played the doormen had already locked the doors and joined the intimate party. Amanda went up in front of Michael, just below the stage and danced for him as he sang.

_**Why don't you believe me when I say that I love you?**_  
_**I'm crazy 'bout you**_  
_**Wear the face that tells me you think my loving ain't true**_  
_**I'm all about you**_  
_**You're my desire **_  
_**I get higher everytime I speak your name**_  
_**All I do (that's all I do, that's all I do, that's all I do)**_  
_**The way that I can't sleep at night just proves what I go through**_  
_**I'm crazy 'bout you**_

Michael jumped off the low stage and joined Amanda, dancing close, grinding against her, holding her tight with one hand and singing to her with the microphone with his other.

_**Now the first time that I saw you walking down the street so pretty**_  
_**Go on with your bad self**_  
_**Now you say that I don't love you **_  
_**When it's giving my love pains**_  
_**It's the hurt and the tension**_  
_**Girl, it's driving me insane**_

_**You are my, you are my**_  
_**You are my lovely one**_  
_**You are my, you are my**_  
_**You are my lovely one**_  
_**You are my, you are my**_  
_**You are my lovely one**_  
_**You are my, you are my**_  
_**You are my lovely one!**_

_**Why don't you believe me when I say that I am true?**_  
_**I'm crazy 'bout you**_  
_**I'm here to love and please you **_  
_**I'll do what you want me to**_  
_**I'm all about you**_  
_**Living and hoping, but I'm coping**_  
_**With these things you put me through**_  
_**All I do (that's all I do, that's all I do, that's all I do)**_  
_**The way that I can't sleep at night**_  
_**Just proves what I go through**_  
_**I'm crazy 'bout you**_

_**Now the first time that I saw you walking down the street so pretty**_  
_**Go on with your bad self**_  
_**Now you say that I don't love you **_  
_**When it's giving my love pains**_  
_**It's the hurt and the tension**_  
_**Girl, it's driving me insane**_

_**You are my, you are my**_  
_**You are my lovely one**_  
_**You are my, you are my**_  
_**You are my lovely one**_  
_**You are my, you are my**_  
_**You are my lovely one**_  
_**You are my, you are my**_  
_**You are my lovely one!**_

"DJ, get the party started!" Michael announced on the microphone as soon as the song was over. He put the microphone down and he and Amanda embraced again.

"You are wonderful, Michael. I've never felt this special before."

"You deserve every minute of it," Michael told her.

He put his arm around her and led her towards the front of the club where she noticed his mother was sitting in a booth. "Mother!" He let go of Amanda and bent down to hug his mother. "Thank you for being here."

He turned towards Amanda who was standing next to him nervously. 'I hadn't expected to meet his mother so soon,' she thought.

"It was important for me for mother to be here, and although this isn't the way I pictured the two of you meeting, Amanda, this is my mother, Katherine. Mother, this is my girlfriend, Amanda."

Girlfriend. That was music to Amanda's ears. She was still so excited about being serenaded as she was, and about her new 'official' relationship. But she had not been anyone's girlfriend for awhile now, and the word 'girlfriend' both startled her and pleased her.

"Nice to meet you, Amanda," she said as she started to stand up, grabbing her purse. Michael helped her stand.

"Very nice to meet you, too, Mrs Jackson."

Katherine turned towards Michael and gave him another hug. "I'm very glad everything worked out for you, son. I'm going to get going now. It's very late."

"Okay, mother. Thank you for coming. I love you." Her assistant, an african american woman who looked to be in her 40's, took her arm. Michael and Amanda watched as the woman walked with Katherine arm in arm until they were out of the door.

Michael grabbed Amanda's hand. "Come on, there's other people I'd like you to meet." He led Amanda across the dancefloor where people had gotten up and resumed dancing to the right side of the stage where the musicians were getting off.

"You've met Jermaine," Michael said with a laugh.

"Yes, I have." Amanda giggled.

Jermaine offered her his hand. "Very pleased to meet you, Amanda," he said with a big knowing smile on his face.

"Likewise," Amanda replied, blushing, remembering the scene at Michael's house a few days earlier.

"This is my brother Tito, and my youngest brother Randy." Michael said patting his brothers lovingly on the back.

"Hello," they both said in unison. 'Wow,' Amanda thought. 'The Jacksons, I can't believe it.' She was more starstruck with them than she was with Michael. She chuckled at that thought.

"Nice to meet you both," Amanda said pleasantly.

Amanda looked up at Michael and saw that he was smiling proudly. He then grabbed Amanda by her waist and pulled her close. That was the brothers' clue to get lost. He gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "Let's go," he whispered softly.

"But what about all these people?"

"Let them have a good time, I want to be alone with you awhile." He squeezed her waist.

"What about Natalia?" Amanda asked worried.

"I'll have someone take her home," he assured.

"Then let's go!" Amanda said eagerly. They held hands and walked out to Amanda's Kia.

Soon, they arrived at Michael's house. Michael got out at the gate and punched in his code and the gate opened slowly. Amanda pulled in. When she turned off the car, Michael opened the door for her and offered her his hand to help her out.

"You're such a gentleman!"

Michael blushed. "Thank you." He led her into his three story French chateau style estate. She walked through the wooden double doors and into the entrance hall. Amanda looked around and at the grand curved wooden detailed staircase and what looked like marble floors in amazement. "I've never seen anything so beautiful."

"It is nice, isn't it? That's why when I saw it I decided to rent it."

"Rent it? Michael, that must cost you an arm and a leg!"

Michael laughed humbly. "Yes, but this kind of beauty is worth it, don't you think?" Michael took Amanda's hand and led her through a tall white marble arch, and through the formal dining room into his gourmet kitchen. He pulled out a chair at the round breakfast table for Amanda to sit down. He sat down on a chair next to her. He held Amanda's hands in his.

"I wanted to share something with you. On Christmas Day I had you come over with the intention of telling you the truth, I really did." Amanda sat there and listened attentively. "I wanted to tell you how I felt about you."

"How do you feel about me? That day, I felt like a fool. I had felt like that before, and I didn't ever want to feel like that again. I didn't want an explanation. I just wanted to leave, honestly."

Michael's expression changed. "What happened to you?"

Amanda looked down, embarrased. No one likes to talk about their past. "Well... um... I had a boyfriend named Jason. We started dating in our senior year of high school. It was innocent puppy love at first. We were excited when we found out that were were accepted into the same college. During our freshman year, Jason started to change. He became possesive and jealous. He would try to pressure me to have sex with him. Michael, he became so unbearable. Then he started cheating on me with other girls and would say that it was my fault."

Michael looked shocked. "Why would you put up with all of that? You're too beautiful and too smart for trash like that."

"Eventually I asked myself the same question. 'Why am I dealing with this?' It was so unnecessary. So finally I dumped him. He cried and begged for me to take him back. But the whole time he was supposedly 'begging', I came to find out he was in a relationship with another girl, and had gotten her pregnant. After that I told myself I wouldn't allow myself to be treated that way again. At the first sign of trouble I'd get out."

"I can understand that Amanda," Michael reached up to her face and caressed it delicately. "I'm so sorry you had to experience that. I wish that never had happened to you. I am so sorry that I had to lie to you. But you know what? I'm really glad I did."

"What?" Amanda said sharply, straightening up taking her hand out of his. Michael smiled at her defensiveness.

'Oh God his smile is so beautiful.' He stood up and grabbed her hand tightly so she couldn't let go. "Come here, I want to show you something." He took her back through the gorgeous dining room and back in the entrance hall and up the grand spiral staircase to the second floor. He led her into the master bedroom and closed the regal french style double doors behind him.

Michael watched Amanda stare in amazement at what looked to be a kings quarters. There were what seemed to be in a privy chamber with another set of double doors in front of them already opened exposing the elegant master bedroom. Everything was an immaculate white trimmed in gold. It was the most amazing sight Amanda had ever laid her eyes on.

Michael led Amanda to a tall glass case where his 18 Grammy awards stood. "Wow," Amanda said, turning to Michael.

"Apart from being a father, these are some of my greatest accomplishments."

"They are beautiful. You should be very proud of yourself."

"I am, but I have never been completely satisfied. You know, despite all the success, which by the way I'm not complaining about, I've never really been able to get to know a girl. And when I have, I always have had a doubt in my mind, if the girl I'm with really likes me for me, or for another reason. In the end, unfortunately, it usually ends up being for another reason." Michael stood there and stared at his trophies sadly.

"I often wondered if I had traded in my chance to be happy for my success." He paused. "Until I met you."

Michael turned to look at her, his eyes that were once filled with so much sadness turned happy. Now his eyes were filled with love. Amanda's heart melted at the way he looked at her.

"I know you may have felt that I was tricking you, but I was given the chance to get to know you, and like you, and love you as a normal person. You're unbelievable, Amanda. And I can know one thing for sure, you are genuine with me. God must have known what was in my heart, because I prayed for you to come to me everyday."

Michael had tears coming down his cheeks. Amanda was so moved that she was crying too, her heart full of love.

"Michael, I love you." Amanda said, feeling freei of what had been trapped in her heart.

"Amanda, I love you so much." He kissed her fiercely, and brought her body close to his. He felt a yearning inside of him like he had never had felt before. He knew he had to have her. He wanted to touch every inch of her. His hands explored her back and went up to her hair. He untied her ponytail and let her long brown hair down. "I love you. I love you," he repeated between kisses.

He picked Amanda up, not stopping the kisses to her lips, face and neck. He carried her to his king sized, four-poster bed and laid her on it gently. Their tongues found each other and the passion flowed. Michael explored her mouth with his tongue and enjoyed her warmth. He was now holding her tight and could feel her breasts pressed against him. Amanda took of Michael's shirt. Her hands were all through his hair and roamed all over his shoulders and upper arms. He could feel her fingernails as she touched his bare skin. A shiver shot through him, 'This was too good to be happening to me,' Michael thought. 'Was I in a dream about to wake up?' He hoped not, afraid to move for fear it was a dream.

Michael pulled away from her lips and found his way to the nape of her neck and gently nibbled and gave her a kiss below her ear. He kissed his way to her ear and could feel her earring against his lips. He whispered into her ear, "I've waited for this moment for way too long."

"Me too," was her reply.

Michael's confidence was rapidly rising and his hands became more adventurous as they found her heaving breasts and cupped them, feeling her nub of a nipple press against his palm. Michael slipped Amanda's shirt off of her and exposed her lacy bra. Amanda laid there now with her shirt off and one of her legs over his. He slowly and gently peeled her jeans off of her. Then he proceeded to do the same. He found the clasp of her bra and with a twist of the wrist, he had it unhooked. He gently tugged it away from her exposing her firm breasts.

She wanted nothing more at that moment than to become one with him and to feel him inside of her. This was a new feeling to her. It was so strong that it was completely uncontrollable. She had never felt out of control of anything before, but her body was now his. She wanted to please him in every way!

Michael had to be inside of her to feel the warmth of her body from the inside. He wanted to hear the beautiful groans from her mouth of ecstasy. Every perfect hum and groan from her mouth only encouraged him to continue as he began thrusting himself inside of her.

Her legs and arms wrapped around him. She could feel the power of his love and desire with every thrust and every sweet embrace. This was the closest to God she had ever felt. A new feeling was welling up inside of her. One she had no control over. Her muscles began to shake. Her body was tightening as intense pleasure shot through it.

Her moans got louder and louder as did his. She could feel his body tense up and she began to scream with excitement. She felt him shoot inside of her with every thrust and a smile came across her face at the pleasure that she had brought him.

He collapsed onto her body, still holding her in his arms. "I love you!" He whispered as he stroked her beautiful face.

"And I love you, my sweet love," she said as she rubbed his strong back. Nothing more needed to be said as they lay on the bed and took in the beauty of this new love.


	7. Chapter 7

They had fallen asleep in each others arms, naked, with the white silk sheets and white fluffy down comforter strewn messily around them. Amanda stirred from her sleep, and wondered what time it was. She figured it was probably about three or four in the morning. Amanda sat up in the bed and reached over to the white wood nightstand to turn on the gold lamp. With Amanda's movement Michael woke up to see Amanda turning the light on. He watched her as she stood up and stretched. She was still naked and Michael smiled as he marveled at her perfect body.

"What are you doing, beautiful?" Michael asked drowsily.

Amanda jumped. "Whoa you scared me," Amanda said as she turned around quickly and put her hand over her heart. "I'm looking for my clothes. I don't remember where I left them."

Michael chuckled as he watched her walk around to the other side of the bed. There she saw a trail of clothes leading from the bed to the trophy case. Amanda laughed. "I found them," she announced as she put on her pants and then following the trail she put on the rest of her clothes.

Michael got up as well and followed her lead and picked up his clothes off of the floor. Amanda was straightening up her hair with her back turned towards Michael when he came up to her and hugged her from behind. "You going somewhere?" Michael asked her devotedly.

She turned around, still in his arms. He kissed her on the top of her head. "I'm going home, silly. It's got to be five in the morning, at least."

Michael smiled. "Oh no you don't. I wouldn't want you getting so tired that you'd have to pull over in front of some stranger's house. I can only imagine what can happen."

They both laughed. "Jealous, are we?" Amanda gave Michael a big smooch on his lips.

"No, really. It's not safe. Stay here for tonight. You can go home in the morning."

"I guess you're right. You going to stay with me?"

Michael held Amanda tight. "Of course. I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

It was ten in the morning when they finally awoke, they were still laying in each others arms, Michael hugging her from behind.

"Mmmm..." Michael moaned. He kissed her hair as she stirred from her sleep. "Don't go."

Amanda turned around so she was facing him on the bed. "I have to. Do you know how many assignments I have waiting for me when I get home?"

She gave a peck on the frown that was forming on his face. "You're so cute when you do that," Amanda said.

Michael laughed. "Well I guess you really gotta go then."

They got up and got dressed, picking up their clothes that were strewn in the same pattern as before.

Michael held her hand as he walked with her out to the front of the mansion to her Kia that was in the driveway. Michael stopped and grabbed Amanda's other hand. "Have a good day, sweetie. Study if you can." Michael laughed at his own joke.

"Yeah, thanks, I'll try."

"I love you, Amanda." He kissed her gently on the lips.

Amanda stared at him. She still couldn't believe that he loved her. He was so genuine and she loved it. She gave him a big smile. "Goodbye, Michael."

* * *

On her way home, Amanda grabbed a hamburger and fries at a fast food joint. It was noon, and she hadn't eaten anything so she was starving. She arrived at her home and walked in and walked straight into the office. It wasn't really quite an office per se, but it was an area that Amanda had destined for studying. She turned on the computer on the desk and sat down in her swivel chair and started munching on her hamburger while the computer started up.

And so Amanda spent her afternoon trying do to research for her assignments, but as Michael had predicted, she wasn't able to concentrate very well. Her mind kept wandering off to last night. Michael's kiss. Michael's touch. Michael's breath on her body. Michael's warmth. Michael's love.

_'No, no, no!'_ Amanda thought shaking her head as if she were to shake out her thoughts with that movement. _'Stop thinking about him!'_

_S_he got up and went into the bathroom to take a refreshing shower. When she was done, she wrapped a towel around her and another on the top of her head and walked into her bedroom. She changed into a white tank top and a comfortable jean skirt. She towel dried her hair as she walked back into the office, she walked past her cell phone, fighting the urge to call Michael. She hung the towel on the back of her chair and sat down starting to type away at the computer. She hoped now she could concentrate better. Taking a shower always helped her clear her head.

The doorbell rang. Amanda got up and ran to the door. _'Who could it be?'_ she thought. She wasn't really that surprised when looking through the peep hole she saw Michael on the other side of the door. She had learned that with Michael to always expect the unexpected.

She opened the door with a wide grin on her face. "Michael!"

He stood there carrying two white plastic bags, one in each hand, smiling. "I couldn't stand to be away from you. I know you have stuff to do, I don't want to bother you, but I know you have to eat, too. I brought you some dinner."

"Oh Michael, that was so thoughtful of you. Come in, please," she said, taking the two bags from Michael and setting them down on the dining room table.

After closing the front door behind him, Michael followed Amanda into the dining room. "You are so sweet," Amanda said giving Michael a quick peck on the cheek.

Michael emptied the bags and set the food containers on the table. "Where do you keep your plates?" Michael asked.

"Oh I'll get them."

"No, I'm going to serve you. Where do you keep them?"

Amanda blushed. "In the kitchen in the first cupboard. Don't tell me you made this food?" she asked, looking at him quizzically.

"Of course I did," Michael called from the kitchen. He came back in the dining room with two plates, two forks and two glasses.

He served on each plate what looked like a mixture of potatoes and greens, along with a salad of some sort. He also took out a plastic pitcher of juice that had a spill proof lid on it.

"What is it?" Amanda inquired, " it looks delicious."

"This is sauteed greens with potatoes and rosemary. This is a type of caesar salad that I invented, and this is freshly squeezed lemonade. I would have brought a bottle of wine, but since you are still underage, I opted for the lemonade."

Amanda laughed and said, "How very thoughtful of you." Michael served lemonade into the two glasses and they started to eat. "This is delicious. You really make this?"

"Yeah, I'm glad you like it," Michael said with a proud grin on his face.

_'He is so cute,'_ Amanda couldn't help thinking, seeing him smile at her like that. His smile could melt anything, let alone her heart which was already weak for him.

"You know my kids really want to meet you," he said, changing the subject. He looked up at her with his intense eyes waiting to see what her reaction would be.

"I'd love to meet them," she said as she continued eating her dinner. "You haven't spoken much about them, but I know they must be big part of your life."

"Yes, they are wonderful children. I love them to death. They are my life. Prince is five and Paris is four," Michael boasted as any proud father would. "I've told them about you, and they want to meet Daddy's girlfriend."

Amanda reddened and quickly changed the subject. "And what about the rest of your family? Do you see them much?"

"Oh yeah, the family gets together every so often, and as you saw with Jermaine the other day, they like to come by and visit when they can. It's hard for me to get out a lot."

"That's why you've been out everywhere with me, because you can't get out a lot!" Amanda pointed out sarcastically. They each had finished their dinner. Amanda piled the dishes together to take them into the kitchen later.

Michael covered his face with his hand and laughed shyly. "Well I'll have you know I only got out today because I was disguised."

"But you're not disguised now."

"I know. Actually I was disguised. The things I do to spend time with you, Amanda." Michael said sarcastically. He continued, "but you'd be surprised at how many people are hiding in the trees and behind bushes waiting for me to come out and follow me. I usually disguise myself as a worker. I took my costume off in the car."

"How'd you get here? You don't drive."

"My driver brought me. He's disguised too." Amanda looked out of her dining room window where she could see a man siting in a white utility van parked in front of her house.

"You came in _that_?" Amanda said laughing. "You're so crazy." They laughed some more together.

"Yeah I know. Like I said, the things I do to spend some time with my girl." Amanda beamed.

"So is he just going to wait for you until you're ready to leave?"

"Yep. And I might not want to leave, either," Michael teased.

"Michael!" Amanda pushed him softly on his chest, laughing. _'God knows, I wish you wouldn't leave,'_ Amanda thought.

Michael got up and went into the living room where he had seen a stereo, and Amanda followed close behind. He looked to the side and saw a stack of CD's. He picked out Kelly Clarkson's new CD 'Thankful'. He took the CD out of its case and put it into the CD player. 'A Moment Like This' started, and he pulled Amanda close to him for a slow dance.

As the music was playing slowly, Michael held Amanda's hand with one hand and with the other he held her waist closely to his body. As they started to slow dance, she put her head to his chest and pressed her ear to his heart and felt his heart beat. He smelled the sweet fragrance of the shampoo she used on her hair.

**_Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this  
Some people search forever for that one special kiss  
Oh, I can't believe it's happening to me  
Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this_**

__

Amanda's heart could have exploded from the love she felt in that instant. The perfect song, at the perfect time, with the perfect man. Could life get any better than this?

"You know, I meant what I said last night," Michael whispered. They still slow danced to the song.

"What was that," Amanda asked softly taking her head off of his chest to look at him.

He looked down so he could see into her blue eyes. "That I found happiness with you. And that I love you." He had a tear that was about to fall in the corner of his right eye.

"Michael, I know."

They kissed passionately but gently. Amanda could taste Michael's salty tears as they fell down his face. She broke off the kiss and kissed each tear on his face.

He broke away and stepped back wiping the rest of his tears off his face with his shirt.

"Tuesday is New Year's Eve. Some of my brothers and nieces and nephews are going to get together at my house. I want you to come, too."

"Are your parents coming?"

"No, my mother doesn't celebrate holidays, and Joseph is busy, I guess."

"Oh, well I'd love to come. Of course!"

"Okay. I guess I'll see you then. I know you have to get back to studying."

"Thank you so much for the dinner. I've never have had someone cook for me before. I hope I can wait the four days until New Years Eve without seeing you." Amanda hung her arms around Michael's neck and gave him kisses on his cheeks, nose and mouth.

"I bet you can't," Michael dared.

"I bet I can't either," Amanda replied.

They gave each other one last kiss, and Michael was out of the door. Amanda closed it behind him, and then twirled herself around like a little girl. She threw herself onto the couch in the living room and sighed heavily. The sigh of a young woman in love.

She heard her cell phone ring. She remembered that she had left it in her office, so she ran to get it. It was a message from Michael.

_'I miss you already. Michael.'_

She texted back.

_'See, you're worse than me! Hey, you left your food containers here.'_

He quickly replied,

_'Bring them to me tomorrow.'_

She said,

_'Just an excuse to see me again.'_

_'Of course!'_

Amanda put the cell phone down and sat down in her chair in front of the computer again. _'Okay, I feel re-energized. Let's see what I can get done!' _she thought to herself happily as she began typing away at the computer.

* * *

_**TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	8. Chapter 8

Not long after she sat down, Amanda's mind started wandering off to the sensual and meaningful kiss she and Michael had shared some ten minutes before. She could still feel Michael's soft and warm lips, moistened by his emotional salty tears on hers all over again. She could feel his big strong hands, one on her lower back and one cupping the back of her head, pressing her body against his as he kissed her with raw emotion. 'I wish you could see what you've done, Mr. Michael Jackson. Thank you very much,' Amanda thought, frustrated that she couldn't concentrate on her research. The sound of her cell phone ring snapped Amanda out of her trance. She picked it up and saw it was Natalia calling.

"Hello," she answered sweetly.

"Amanda Farris, I can't believe you would do this to me!"

A million thoughts ran all at once through Amanda's confused mind. It had to be serious if Natalia said her full name like that. 'What did I do now? Was it her birthday?'

"Hi, Naty," Amanda said nervously.

"Hi, Amanda," Natalia replied, her tone mocking. "Don't act all innocent with me."

The light bulb finally clicked on in Amanda's head. "Oh, Naty, I so ditched you at the night club last night. I'm so sorry. I understand if you're angry. Michael swore to me that you'd have a ride..." Amanda pleaded, feeling a guilty weight on her heart. How could she ever put a guy first before her best friend, sister almost, even if it was Michael Jackson? Amanda's thoughts were cut off by Natalia's guffaw on the other end of the receiver. Amanda took the phone away from her ear and looked at it scrunching her eyebrows in disbelief. She put the phone back to her ear as she heard Natalia continue to speak.

"Amanda, you do realize I was in on it the whole time, right? We totally set you up!" Natalia continued with her guffaw. "TJ took me home. Michael's nephew."

"Oh," Amanda said feeling relieved yet still confused. "Then why did you call me all crazy like that?"

"Because, Amanda, I am dying to know what happened after you guys left! You guys totally ditched the party."

Amanda slapped her hand to her forehead. "I know, I know. We had a lot to talk about. I really hadn't planned on ever seeing him again. But that was so beautiful how he set that all up just for me at the club, wasn't it."

"Yeah," Amanda heard Natalia sigh.

"I'm sorry I couldn't call you. I was... busy."

"Spill, woman," Natalia insisted. Amanda spent the next half hour recalling to her friend about the night before, meeting Michael's mother and brothers, them escaping the party, his beautiful mansion, their heart to heart, and finally them making love.

"Girl, that sounds like it came out straight from a fairy tale!" Amanda sighed. Just remembering last night filled her heart with love and brought back the butterflies to her stomach.

"Then I came home around noon and started doing some research," Amanda continued.

"Noon?" Natalia asked. "Wow," she added with a giggle.

Amanda rolled her eyes as if Natalia could see her through the phone. "Shut up, Naty." Amanda giggled, too.

"Then Michael came over and surprised me with dinner," she continued.

"Wow," Natalia said, "I told you he was into you." Amanda's heart leaped. She sure hoped so.

* * *

It was the next day, and Amanda couldn't wait to see Michael again. The rest of the previous evening she had been able to get some research done and she even started writing her paper. She was satisfied enough with her progress, so she decided to take Michael up on his excuse and go see him to take over his tupperware. She grabbed the clean tupperware and put it in the same white plastic bag that Michael had brought it in and headed over to his mansion.

Amanda showed up at the mansion with Michael's voice still in her head, _'You'd be surprised at how many people are hiding out in the trees and behind the bushes.' _She consciously looked around this time to see if she noticed anyone as she pulled up to the gate. She had always come to his house so nonchalantly, never worrying if anyone was watching or if anyone was listening. How dumb could she be if she thought that someone wouldn't be watching his every move. He was Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, after all. She sat there wondering if anyone had ever noticed her as she stuck her hand out of the car window and rang the intercom.

"Hello," a female voice on the intercom sounded.

"Yes, this is Amanda. I'm here to see Michael." Then there was silence. "Hello," Amanda called out. _'Maybe I should have called before I showed up,'_ Amanda thought, getting nervous sitting outside the gate terrified that a camera would show up at any minute. Why should she get nervous? No one knows anything. It must be all in her head. She had been sitting there for at least five minutes at the gate waiting. The last couple times she had come, Michael had been expecting her and she got in quickly. The first time she came, however, she was unexpected and had the cops called on her.

"Please come in," the voice in the intercom said, interrupting her thoughts. Amanda jumped in her seat, startled, putting her hand to her heart.

"Thank you," she called into the box, as the gate slid open. She pulled into the driveway, the gate closing behind her.

A small woman, African American, very slender, with almond eyes and short loose brown curls came out of the front door to greet her. She had a warm smile. Amanda wondered who she was.

"Mr. Jackson will wait for you in his study," she said as Amanda got out of her Kia with the plastic bag in her hand. She followed the woman into the house and into Michael's study. It was massive. It had dark wood floors throughout and a fore-room, kind of like what he had in his bedroom. It saw deep into the main study where Michael sat at his executive desk of heavy dark wood, speaking on the phone and taking notes on a legal pad. Michael hadn't noticed them come in.

The woman motioned to a brown leather chair in the fore-room for her to sit down. She left promptly shutting the wood door leaving Amanda alone to marvel at the expensive looking portraits on the wood panelled walls.

"Yeah, John, tell him I'll definitely be there," Michael said into the phone with a smile on his face. "Yeah, this will be fun. Thank you, John. Take care." Michael pushed a button on his cordless phone and set it on the receiver. He continued writing notes, still oblivious to Amanda's presence.

"Hey, cutie. I came to return your tupperware since you wanted it back so badly." Michael quickly looked up, his eyes big from his surprise. His countenance quickly softened and he smiled his biggest smile upon seeing his girl, sitting with her legs crossed all the way across the room in the foreroom.

"Amanda! So you did come. I told you you wouldn't be able to wait to see me," Michael said as he stood up to greet Amanda. He had on a black t-shirt with a navy blue sport coat over it. His hair was back in a messy ponytail. Amanda stood up as well and walked right into his open arms and they hugged each other tightly. "I have something for you," Michael said putting his arm around her shoulder and leading her to his desk. She sat down in another brown leather chair that was in front of the wooden desk. He sat in his big brown leather executive chair. He reached under it and opened a cabinet. He brought out a box, carefully wrapped in silver gift wrap and set it on the desk in front of him. "I think you left this here."

Amanda recognized it immediately. It was the present she had bought for 'Josh' for Christmas. "Your present!" She paused for a second. "Well, open it!"

"Not before you," Michael replied, "ladies first." Michael took out a small white oblong box, unwrapped with a small red bow on it. He handed it to Amanda. She lifted the lid and discovered a pair of black aviator sunglasses. "What's this?" she asked, not quite understanding the meaning of his gift.

"Those are my glasses. I remember when we first went out for dinner, you asked me if I would ever take the glasses off and let you see my eyes. Since I was going to reveal who I was on Christmas Day, I wanted to give you my glasses."

"I love them, that was so thoughtful of you," she said putting the sunglasses on. This man never ceased to amaze her. "It's your turn," Amanda said, sliding the box towards him on the desk.

Michael received the box and carefully started opening it, peeling the tape off of the wrapping paper.

"Don't you know how to open up a present? Rip it open!" Amanda exclaimed. Michael laughed and apprehensively started to rip at the paper, shredding it all off exposing a white box. He opened the box and his smile became wider.

"PEZ!" Michael laughed loudly, and slapped his hand to his knee. He took out some ten PEZ dispensers one by one and set them on the desk. There was one of Jesus, Elvis, Madonna, The Three Stooges, and Marilyn Monroe. "Thank you," he exclaimed genuinely happy.

"I remembered you saying you liked PEZ that night at the PEZ store, so I thought I'd go back and get you some,"

Michael blushed and looked down bashfully. "Thank you."

"You're quite welcome," Amanda beamed.

Amanda watched Michael as he stood up from his chair, walked around the desk and put her hand in his. He kissed it and said, "There are a couple of people I'd like you to meet now."

Amanda stood up, and with their hands clasped together they walked out of the study, through the majestic hallway to a bedroom. He knocked on the large white door before opening it revealing two of the most beautiful children doing what children do best. The blond boy sat on the floor playing with a long wooden train. The little girl was caressing a doll, sitting at a small play table next to her nanny, the same slender African American woman who had greeted her earlier. When they noticed Michael at the door they both screamed in unison, "Daddy!" He let go of my hand to catch the running children and pick them up planting kisses on both of their cheeks.

"Are you both being good for Nanny Grace?"

"Yes, Daddy," they replied again in unison with their sweet little voices. They soon noticed Amanda behind Michael. Paris' blue eyes widened with curiosity. "Is that your girlfriend, Daddy?" Paris asked charmingly.

"Yes, baby," Michael said, setting them down. He turned around smiling facing Amanda with one child in each hand.

"Hi, my name is Amanda," she offered her hand to Paris.

Paris eagerly shook her hand. "I'm Paris and I'm four," she said holding up four little fingers. Amanda laughed, delighted.

Prince quickly butt in not wanting to be left out, "I'm Prince and _I'm_ five," he said pointing to himself.

"Well that makes you a big boy then, doesn't it?" She shook his hand as well.

Paris grabbed Amanda's hand back from little Prince's grasp. "Come play with us, we are going to have tea," she declared. Amanda reluctantly followed Prince and Paris to their table looking at Michael who nodded his head in approval.

"I'm going to the study to finish making a few phone calls, I'll be right back," he said inching slowly towards the door. Amanda and the kids hardly noticed him; they were already engrossed in their tea time conversation. He looked at them fondly; the way Paris and Prince took to Amanda so quickly, and how Amanda seemed to not be bothered to be playing with a couple of little kids. He stepped out of the room and started his journey back to his study, hopeful to where this relationship with Amanda could take him.

* * *

Amanda had been playing in the room with the kids for an hour when Michael reappeared in the doorway. "Sorry to interrupt you three, but it's getting dark, and you two need your baths and get ready for bed." Michael nodded towards Nanny Grace. "Go on with Nanny Grace, you two. I'll be up to read to you all in a bit."

"Yes, Daddy," they once again said in concert.

Michael took Amanda's hand and led her out of the back door and to the beautifully landscaped backyard. It was dusk and the lights on the brick walkway were already lit. They followed the smooth path that led past some tall trees and thick bushes to an elegant swimming pool. It looked like it had lights in and around it, but they weren't lit. Steam was rising from the pool into the cold December air.

"This is beautiful, too. What about this house isn't beautiful?"

"Let's take a swim," Michael said, pulling her towards the pool.

"No! It's too cold out," she said, shivering already.

"Don't worry, it's heated," Michael replied.

"I know, it's just that I didn't bring any clothes," Amanda pleaded.

"Who needs clothes?" he said playfully.

She laughed. "But we don't have any towels," she begged.

Michael didn't reply. He took off his shoes and socks and clothes and in only his boxers started to run at full speed and jumped into the pool._ 'What the hell,' _she thought as she pulled off her sweater and took off her shoes as well and followed in after him.

The water was nice and warm, it felt good around her body as she came up to the surface after her jump. She still had water in her ears so she didn't hear Michael swim up to her. He brought her waist in close to him hugging her tightly and kissing her gently. "I'm glad you decided to join me, because I would have pushed you in anyway," he joked laughing.

"Oh, really?" she said splashing him in the face with pool water.

"Aaah!" Michael shreaked, letting her go and backing up a bit so he could splash her back. But Amanda was already underwater reaching for his boxers and pulled them down.

"Aaah!" he yelled again. Dying of laughter, he pulled his shorts back up. He decided not to retaliate. He'd get her back good, later. By the time he ended his thought she was popping up at the end of the pool, smiling deviously. _'God, she is so beautiful in the moonlight,'_ he thought as he stared at her, his smile turning serious.

He swam to her and she waited to see what he was going to do. He appeared in front of her and pinned her to the side of the pool and kissed her again fiercely. He then took off swimming, Amanda following his lead. They continued their moonlit swim, kissing and playing, joking and embracing, until midnight.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's note: I have placed a link to what Michael looks like in my story on my profile. Go check it out!**

* * *

It was 7:30 Tuesday morning, New Year's Eve, and Amanda was still sound asleep in her comfortable queen sized bed. She had heavy drapes hanging on the windows of her bedroom, so the morning sun rays didn't get a chance to peek through and disturb Amanda's sleep. However, the phone on her nightstand started to ring, and the sharp chime made her jump out of her dreams. She reached over to her illuminated cell phone and barely saw a new text message from Michael flashing on the screen. She wiped the sleep from her eyes and pushed the 'read' button. _'Don't forget to bring a change of clothes today. Plan on getting wet. The code to the gate is 120182.'_

_'What has he got up his sleeve this time,'_she thought as she stretched her body and got out of bed. She took a hot shower and then stood in front of her closet in her towel. She argued with herself whether or not to get dressed up, since she had been warned she was definitely getting wet. She finally decided on a white floral A-lined skirt with a thin pink tank top and a jeans jacket on top. She fixed her long brown hair half up and curled soft curls into it so they hung softly down her back. After putting a little waterproof mascara on so her blue eyes would stand out and a little lip gloss, she slipped on her white pumps, grabbed her purse with her change of clothes and headed out of the door.

She decided to go dressed up despite her warning from Michael. After all, she was 'officially' meeting the family. She was being included in their family event, so she needed to dress to impress.

* * *

Apparently everyone else knew the family was getting together at Michael's house, too. This time, when Amanda pulled up to his gate, the media wasn't even trying to hide. They were in abundance, swarming every car with the blinding flashes of their cameras. Luckily, since Michael had given her the code to his gate, she got in quickly. _'This is how Jermaine must have gotten in on Christmas,'_ she thought to herself thinking about the gate code and that eventful day.

Once inside, she went around to the backyard and saw two white covered party tents. In and around the tents were many children running, laughing and playing. Among those children she recognized Paris and Prince. They recognized her too, because Paris was already running towards her, her puffy white dress in one hand and her other hand stretched out for Amanda to receive her hug. "Amanda!"

Prince was not far behind in his royal suit; white pants, a white shirt and a white paisley vest. She bent down to receive them both and twirled them around once she hugged them. After she put them down, she looked up and noticed all eyes were on her. There were a sea of faces, and all pointed in her direction. One of them she knew, Michael, a familiar face out of the unfamiliar crowd, walked towards her with his arms wide open. He looked stunning. He had on a sharp black suit with a white shirt that was unbuttoned, showing part of his smooth chest. The cuffs were sticking out of his suit stylishly and were also unbuttoned. He had his hair down and straightened. He looked so sexy. Amanda reddened.

The kids by now had run off to play with their cousins Jermajesty and Royalty, both of whom could barely keep up, both being only two.

"Amanda, I'm so glad you came," Michael said, giving her a big bear hug. He lifted his head and put his lips to her ear. "I thought I told you to plan on getting wet," he whispered admiring how lovely she was looking.

"Oh, I'm prepared,"

He looked at her arching his eyebrow, a big smile on his face. He put an arm around her and led her into the crowd. "Let's meet the family."

Meeting the Jackson family was tiring. After over an hour of introducing herself she met a lot of new people and some of the brothers she had already met like Jermaine and his wife Alejandra and their sons Jaafar and Jermajesty, Alejandra's other children from her previous relationship with Randy, Randy Jr., Donte and Genevieve. Marlon had flown up from Georgia to spend New Year's with his family with his wife Carol and their children Valencia, Brittney and Marlon Jr. Next he met Tito's sons Taryll, T.J. and Taj, all three extremely handsome. T.J. was little Royalty's father. Finally she met Rebbie and her husband Nathaniel and their three children, Austin, Stacee and Tashi. Most of Michael's nieces and nephews, she noticed, were older than herself.

Amanda turned to Michael and wiping off the sweat that had accumulated on her forehead she said, "I don't think I will ever be able to keep up with so many names and faces."

Michael chuckled. "Yes you will, just give yourself some time." Michael enlaced Amanda's hand in his and started watching his family's activities. _'Give myself some time,' _Amanda repeated over and over again in her head. She looked over at the family happily alongside Michael. Their eyes were no longer on her. If Michael liked her, then she supposed everyone liked her. They had been very gracious and nice to her, taking an interest in what she said, and asked her questions about herself. They had accepted her readily, the thought of which made her smile. She wondered if she would one day become a part of this family or if she already had become a part of it.

* * *

Lunch was served in the party tents, and the whole family barely fit in the two together. There was a buffet set out for them with fresh fruit, salads, sandwiches cut up in little triangles, potato salad and tiny little hamburgers. After having a light lunch of salad and fruit, the adults sat around the tables and chatted, but Michael couldn't keep still.

"I'll be right back," he said, taking off in a sprint towards the house. He called to the kids to follow him and they all flocked towards him immediately. He came out running with the biggest squirt gun that Amanda had ever seen. "Oh my God, he wasn't playing," she said out loud, getting out of her seat, her mouth open in disbelief.

Prince had another water gun in his hand and handed it to Amanda who took it reluctantly. If she was to be attacked, she might as well have something to defend herself with.

"To be fair," Michael said with a smirk on his face, nodding his head towards her water gun. "I wouldn't feel right attacking you if you were unarmed. It wouldn't be the chivalrous thing to do."

"Why thank you, Sir Michael," she replied sarcastically, simultaneously pulling the trigger, spraying him straight in the chest. It made a big round wet spot right in the middle of his white shirt. She laughed. She might as well get the battle started already.

Michael widened his eyes so much they almost popped out of his head. His mouth gaped open making a big round 'O' from utter disbelief. He looked down slowly at his wet shirt and lifted his head and looked at Amanda, shocked. "No one has _ever_ gotten me, and _never_ that quickly."

"You underestimate me then."

Michael scrunched his eyebrows and pursed his lips. "You better run, girl."

Amanda took off, kicking off her pumps as she ran, feeling the soft grass under her feet. She ran dodging sprays from his water gun, both of them laughing so hard they could hardly breathe. She ran up to a large bush to hide behind, pausing only to return fire which Michael expertly dodged. Michael took cover behind the trunk of a big tree. Laughter of children could be heard in the distance, laughing and playing with their water guns. She peeked over the bush a bit, only to see a squirt of water come at her and she ducked just in time to avoid getting wet. She heard a male voice say '_Get her Michael' _in the distance. She guessed they had become the rest of the party's entertainment. She heard soft footsteps in the grass coming slowly towards her, and she lifted her water gun blindly over the bush and shot in the direction of the footsteps, only to receive a blast of water to her right hand. _'Damn he's good,' _she thought, lowering her water gun feeling defeated. She remembered that at the end of the bushes was the edge of the pool, so she decided to inch silently toward the opposite end and surprise him.

It was a good plan, because as soon as she reached the end, Michael screamed, "Got ya!" He was leaning over the bush, pointing his water gun down at the spot where he had thought she was hiding. She then came out of hiding, running towards him. Before he could react, she pushed him with the force of her whole body and they both fell into the pool with a big splash.

They both came up laughing. Michael went up to her and hugged her close. "I have to say, My Lady, that was well played."

"Thank you, sir," she replied giving him a peck on his cheek. They held hands as they stepped out of the pool, their drenched clothes heavy on their bodies. They headed towards the back door of his mansion to change clothes stopping only to collect Amanda's pumps that were thrown in the grass. They stepped into the guest bedroom where the guests had left their coats and purses. Amanda retrieved her purse and took out her change of clothes. She had taken off her jean jacket, heavy with pool water and she was about to take off her tank top when she stopped, realizing that Michael was staring at her. He hadn't noticed he was staring, but when he did, he looked down embarrassed.

She saw his embarrasment, and in a way was flattered that he admired her body. She walked over to him and pressed herself against him, the water squishing in between them, and dripping into a puddle on the hard wood floor. She put her arms around him and started kissing him, taking off his jacket and letting it slop onto the floor.

They started taking off each others clothes hungrily, still kissing and maneuvered towards the door. Michael fumbled around with the door knob, eventually locking it. By then they were out of their wet clothes. Michael picked Amanda up by her bottom and pinned her to the door caressing her soft body, kissing her mouth, nibbling at her ear and sucking at her neck. He picked her up and carried her towards the bed, throwing the expensive comforter on the floor with all of the purses and coats that were on top of it. He laid her down on the bed and they began to make love.

* * *

Five magical hours had passed. They made love, they had a deep conversation, they showered and they made love again. Amanda couldn't remember when she had been so happy. In those five hours there had been several knocks at the door, which they of course ignored. Someone must have either needed their belongings or needed something from Michael, but this time together was far more important to them.

It was starting to get dark and the realization of that interrupted their chat on the bed together, Amanda still in Michael's arms. "I'm starting to get hungry," she announced getting up out of bed and fumbling through the discarded purses and coats to find her purse and clothes.

"Dinner has probably already been served," Michael stated, getting up and pulling a pair of pants and a white T-shirt and a pair of boxers from the dresser and putting them on. Amanda got dressed quickly and somewhat arranged her hair in the dresser mirror.

"Ready," Michael asked.

"Ready," Amanda replied grabbing Michael's hand, giving him a peck on the lips and heading out the door.

* * *

"10.. 9.. 8.. 7.. 6.. 5.. 4.. 3.. 2.. 1.. HAPPY NEW YEAR!" everyone shouted gleefully.

Michael and Amanda went around hand in hand wishing all the family a Happy New Year with hugs and a kisses on the cheeks. Most of them had a glass of champagne in their hand, but Michael and Amanda only had a glass of sparkling cider.

He turned to look at Amanda. He was holding her by the small of her back, and she had her arms around him as well. "Happy New Year, baby."

She looked up at him. "Happy New Year, Michael."

"You know, I wish this moment would never end," he said. "I could be with you forever."

"I could be with you forever, too," Amanda whispered, not taking her eyes off him.

He put her head to his chest, Amanda closed her eyes and listened to his heart race. Michael closed his eyes and rested his chin on top of her head. They started swaying, dancing to a love song that only the two of them could hear.


	10. Chapter 10

It was January fourteenth, Amanda's twenty-first birthday and Michael was determined to make the day special for his girl, even though the week before he had been busy with meetings for a new project that was in the works to collaborate with Ashanti and JaRule.

Amanda had been busy as well, classes had begun again and she had to study and write an infinite amount of term papers. But Michael had insisted that her twenty-first birthday was special and he took time off from his busy schedule to plan something to celebrate. He coaxed Amanda to take a day off from school since her birthday fell on a Wednesday. Boy, was that a hard thing to do. Since the start of her school career at the age of three, she had not missed a day, not even because of illness. Her mother always told her,_ 'If you're not dying, you can go to school.'_. It may sound harsh, but it instilled a work ethic in her that many envied.

She was told to be up and ready by seven in the morning. Yes, she was _told_. She learned that when it came to Michael, you had better do what you're told. He didn't like taking no for an answer. At seven sharp there was a soft knock at the door. Amanda jumped up from the couch where she had been waiting, reading the morning newspaper. She checked herself out in the mirror that was by the door. _'Hair perfect, makeup perfect,' _she thought touching her french braid with her fingers.

She opened up the door surprised when she saw Michael standing there in a gray sweater, a black sport coat and blue jeans, his hair pulled back in a ponytail and a fedora on his head. He was holding a bouquet of three dozen long stemmed pink roses in both hands, his face was down in the roses, enjoying their scent.

He looked up when she opened the door and smiled. "Happy birthday, baby!"

"Thank you, Michael," she squealed throwing herself into his arms. Michael quickly opened his arms to catch her and to avoid her from crushing the roses. He planted a dozen kisses on her cheeks. "Let me just put these in water and we can get going. Come in," she said making her way into the kitchen for a vase, leaving the roses on the dining room table on her way there.

"So where are we going," she yelled from the kitchen.

Michael was fixing himself in the mirror in the living room. "You'll see when we get there," he yelled back, smoothing his sport coat with his hands.

She brought out a large vase with water and put each rose in carefully one by one. The last rose she put to her lips. "Mmm. The roses smell divine." She hesitated at putting the last rose in the vase. "This one I'm taking with me," she said grabbing the rose and then Michael's hand and headed out the door.

They stepped into the waiting black limo and started their journey to wherever is was they were going. Once inside, Michael fetched a small hard suitcase.

"Why the limo?"

"I needed the room to change in."

"Oh." He opened the suitcase and took out makeup. "What's all that?"

He scooted over next to Amanda and looked at her seriously. "We are going someplace very public, and I need to disguise myself."

"Oh," she said feeling a little disappointed. "Should I be calling you 'Josh', too?"

"Amanda," Michael scolded.

"I know, I know. I get it. I guess you and disguises don't sit well with me."

"I'm sorry, Amanda. I can't go where we're going without disguising myself. It's not so much about being recognized and being asked for autographs as much as it's about being recognized and being mobbed." Amanda rolled her eyes. "Besides it's still me under the makeup. I just want to spend time with you. It'll be worth it, I promise."

"Okay," she agreed. "But don't make it a habit." They both laughed.

* * *

"Disneyland! Oh my goodness, I haven't been here for years," she exclaimed getting out of the limo and stretching her muscles that were tired from the two hour ride. They made their way to a tram that waited for people to take them from the parking lot to the theme park and hopped on. "Thank you, Michael!"

"You're welcome, baby. Happy birthday."

The next few hours were spent waiting in line for rides, eating cotton candy, shopping at souvenir stores and taking pictures with the Disney characters. They even saw Captain EO in 3D. When they were sitting in the theater, a young lady behind them said, _'God, Michael Jackson is HOT! I want to eat him up!'_ Michael and Amanda burst out laughing and couldn't keep quiet throughout the rest of the movie, despite the constant shushing from the people around them.

Five o'clock came and their stomachs were grumbling. They hadn't stopped to eat a meal to not miss out on any rides. "Let's go, I've got more planned for you. This day isn't over yet!"

They arrived by shuttle to the Disneyland resort and went up to the suite that Michael had rented out for them. The presidential suite consisted of the whole top floor of the hotel. It had one bedroom, a full bar, a mini kitchen with a dining area, it's very own pool on the deck and a jacuzzi. It was beautifully furnished. It was clear to her that this man was used to living in the lap of luxury.

"My God, Michael, this is beautiful! It's bigger than my house, for Pete's sake!"

Michael laughed. He went into the bedroom and called room service and ordered dinner. Meanwhile Amanda looked around the suite. There were white candles everywhere. On the bar, on the dining table, on the spa, on the nightstands, on the floor, everywhere. Somehow they looked placed there. Had he been here before to set up?

He came out of the bedroom and headed towards the bar. "Would the lady like a drink?"

"Sure, why not."

Michael poured champagne into two champagne glasses. "I don't usually do this, but since this _is_ a special occasion, and I'm in a _really_ good mood, I thought I'd join you." He lifted his glass to toast. "Here's to you, Amanda, on your birthday. May God grant you many more birthdays to come."

She lifted her glass to his. "Thank you, baby." She turned bright red. She still wasn't used to all of the attention. They both drank from their glasses. "I can't believe that you would go through all this trouble just for me," she said waving her hand to the suite, the candles and the champagne.

"Why wouldn't I?" he asked, sincerely confused.

"I don't know. I mean, I don't deserve all of this."

"Amanda, you've been nothing but good to me. You deserve much much more."

At that moment there was a tap at the door. "That was quick," Michael said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a hundred dollar bill. "Here. Let them in and give him this." He handed her the bill. "I'll be in the bathroom washing my face."

Amanda opened up the door and room service was there with a tray with two meals, one bottle of wine, two wine glasses, two bottles of water and two drinking glasses. The man set everything on the dining table without a word. Amanda followed him and his tray to the door, where she handed him his tip. "Thank you," she said.

"Thank you, miss," he said receiving the money nonchalantly. His eyes deceived him, though. He looked like he wanted to scream out of happiness.

Michael came out of the bathroom void of makeup and looked like his handsome self. Amanda went to him and kissed his face. "I missed this beautiful face."

He kissed her back with a big smacking sound. "I love you, but let's eat. I'm starving."

* * *

Some lobster thermidor, two wine bottles, one champagne bottle and one vodka bottle later, the pair were in the jacuzzi, stripped down to their underwear, and a bit tipsy.

"Uh, yeah, I don't think you'll be making it to school tomorrow, either." They both laughed hysterically.

"Nooooo," Amanda slurred. "Hey, Michael Jackson, you know you're _hot_? I'm gonna eat you up!"

"Girl, you're crazy!"

"I'm not the only one who thinks that way, you know," she said both of them remembering the girl at Disneyland.

Michael was laughing so hard that his sides were hurting. "You're so funny. And cute. And smart." His countenance suddenly became serious. "That's why I love you," he said making a sloppy kissy face.

"I love you! I love you!" Amanda declared, throwing her hands up into the air, splashing water into Michael's kissy face in the process.

All of a sudden Michael burst into song, "My baby loves me, she loves me, she loves me, HOO, HOO, HOO, HOO-HOO!" It was a portion of the song 'Just Good Friends' from his Bad album.

Amanda cracked up. "That was loud," she pointed out while she wriggled a finger in her ear. "Isn't that song about a girl with two lovers?"

"Amanda, be quiet. And come here." He pulled her close to him and kissed her passionately.

* * *

The next morning Amanda woke in Michael's arms. He was still asleep, clearly still tired from the previous night's lovemaking. A part of her couldn't believe she was missing another day of school. Looking back at a sleeping Michael made her realize the other part of her was glad she did. Never before has she had such a great time or felt as special as she does when she is with Michael.

She walked into the mini kitchen and put a pot of coffee on. She also called room service on the wall phone and ordered breakfast.

Michael surprised her from behind and she spun around. He kissed her gently. "Good morning, beautiful."

"Good morning. I just want you to know that you're entirely responsible for me missing two days of classes." She poked him playfully.

"Don't worry. I'll take full responsibility. You know, my people will be a tad angry with me, too. I was supposed to be back today."

Amanda hugged him tightly. "Mmm. It feels so good to be in your arms, and to love you. Just when I think I can't get any happier, you go and do something amazing for me, and I actually do get so much more happier."

"That's what I'm going for."

_'This seems just too good to be true,' _she thought feeling bliss in the arms of the man she loves.


	11. Chapter 11

Everyone knows this phrase.

_Something that seems too good to be true..._

_Usually is._

_How sad reality is when it finally sinks in._

Two weeks later Amanda, Michael, Prince and Paris were in the spacious family room waiting for the special documentary that Michael had been raving about forever to start. He had told Amanda he had cameras follow him around all most of the previous year. He was always frustrated at how the public perceived him and although he resisted the idea at first, he knew that by letting people see how he lived his life, everyone would know, like Amanda knew, that he was a sweet, caring and normal guy. Michael told her a guy named Bashir was doing the documentary and that he was really good.

"This is going to be great," Michael chimed contentedly, kissing Amanda on the lips as they sat on the couch. Nanny Grace handed him a bowl of popcorn for he and Amanda to share and another for the kids to share on the floor in front of the couch.

"Shhh everyone, it's starting," Michael said with a huge smile on his face, putting his arm around Amanda.

Not even ten minutes into the documentary and everyone in the room had a stunned look on their face. Those ten minutes were the most painful ten minutes of Amanda's young life, to hear Bashir talk about Michael as if he were some monster, sleeping with children and making it look like he was a criminal. He started his attack right off the bat about this sweet man that she loved. Michael hastily took his arm from around Amanda and looked for the remote. He turned off the television.

"That jerk," Amanda exclaimed.

"Children, go on and play outside," Michael said as calmly as he could. He was shaking. Nanny Grace took the children by the hand and led them out of the room despite their protests. He stood up, his expression blank. He was lost in his thoughts. He just stood there, his eyes on the ground. He had stiffened, but was shaking because he was in such a severe shock.

Amanda stood up and put her arms around him. "Oh baby, I'm so sorry." She stood up next to him and put her arms around him. He wouldn't stop shaking, so she hugged him tighter.

He broke from her and sat himself back down on the couch, his expression unchanged. Amanda sat right back down next to him, not knowing what she could do to console him. Then he snapped out of his trance just as quickly as he entered into it.

"Oh my God, what just happened? Amanda, he said the interview was going to be good. He followed me around for months. For what? So he could twist my words around? Doesn't he realize I'm a person, with feelings, not just some '_thing' _they can trash and smash around so they can get ratings?"

"Dirty bastard-," she said, omitting all the nasty words she was thinking of. She knew he didn't like foul language.

"What am I going to do?" He looked at Amanda desperately, searching her face for the answer he was looking for.

_'Kill the son-of-a-bitch,' _is what she wanted to say, but obviously that wasn't an option. "I don't know Michael. The truth always prevails. Wait it out. Your fans will always be with you. I'll always be with you," she said trying to be as compassionate as she could. He looked at her, with his big sad eyes, threw his head into her bosom and cried. Amanda wrapped her arms around him, blanketing him, and stroked his hair with her fingers, trying to calm him down. As much as she tried to be strong from him, tears flowed down her cheeks as well. It isn't easy seeing the one you love in pain and not being able to do anything about it. "Whatever happens, I'll be here. I love you, Michael."

It was midnight when he finally fell asleep. Amanda left him sleeping on the couch. She gave him a kiss on the forehead while she took some of his black curls from his face with her finger. She left his house and went to her apartment, to try to get some sleep to get up for school the next day. She had early classes and she figured she would go to school and check up on Michael afterward. He'd probably still be a mess.

Not surprisingly, she wasn't able to sleep that night, thinking of the terrible twisted words of that Bashir guy. _'How could there be someone that cruel,'_ she asked herself tossing and turning the rest of the night.

She could hardly concentrate in her communications class. When the professor asked her as simple question, she stuttered terribly.

"Is there something wrong, Miss Farris," Professor Childs asked her after class. "You're not yourself today."

"Yeah, I'm okay. I'll be okay." The second she got out of her class she got out her cell phone and texted Michael. _'Hey baby, I'm done with classes today and I thought I'd come over and keep you company. See you in a bit.'_

She made the long trek from her class that was in the middle of campus to the far parking lot four blocks away. Amanda was surprised that by now Michael hadn't texted her back; he was always good at answering her quickly. She texted him again as she approached her car. _'Michael, baby, are you okay?' _She got into her Kia and headed out of the parking lot and towards the 118 freeway and changed to the 5 south on her way to LA to Michael's mansion. _'Poor Michael, he must be devastated,' _she thought as she sped up a bit. It had been twenty minutes since her last text and still no reply. At this point Amanda started to worry. She knew what this could do to him. She put on her headset and dialed Michael's number on the speed dial. It rang five times before it went to voice mail. _Weird. _She pushed a button on her cell and with a beep it hung up. She threw it onto the passenger seat in frustration. It bounced off of the seat and onto the floor.

She pulled up into the driveway at Michael's and punched in the gate code. She pulled into the driveway and saw Nanny Grace with Prince and Paris running around the fountain in the front yard, laughing happily. The veil of the innocence of their youth shielded them from what was going on around them. She slammed the car door shut and took the aviator sunglasses Michael gave her from her eyes and put them on top of her head. Nanny Grace looked surprised to see Amanda there.

"Hey Grace, where's Michael?"

"Oh hi, Amanda. He's not here."

"Oh? Where is he? Is he okay?"

"He's still in shock, we're all worried about him." Nanny Grace fidgeted nervously.

"So where did he go?" Amanda repeated.

"Oh, where is he? Yeah, um, he's at some sort of meeting or something.

Amanda studied her. Something wasn't right. She shook her head. "Poor Michael. He shouldn't have to go through all of this. And he still has to show his face at these meetings. It just isn't fair."

"No it isn't." Paris and Prince ran up to Amanda and hugged her.

"Amanda! Are you going to make Daddy happy again?"

She put her hand on top of both of their soft heads. "I sure hope so." She knelt down to their level. "I've got to go. Smell you later," she said giving them both a kiss on the cheek.

She returned home, still not feeling quite comfortable not being able to get hold of Michael.. She sat down at her desk in front of her computer to write a paper, not able to concentrate on anything, thinking about Michael. She looked at her phone that was next to her on her desk, and picked it up to call him, but again it went to voice mail. _"Michael, please call me when you get out of your meeting. I love you."_

The next day was a Saturday, Amanda woke up early, still not able to rest completely. The first thing she did was call his cell. She figured he had gotten home late last night and was too tired to call. She dialed the number. '_The number you have dialed is no longer in service. Please try again.' 'Oh I must have dialed the wrong darn number,' _she thought as she hung up and dialed again. But she got the same message. So she dialed his home phone. Same message.

She decided to head out to his mansion which wasn't too far away. When she pulled up to the house and punched in the gate code, the gate didn't open. She pushed the button to call inside the house somewhat irritated. "Hello," the voice answered.

"Yes, it's Amanda. Let me in. Where's Michael?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, he's not here at the moment," the voice said.

"What?" Amanda hit her steering wheel in frustration. "What the hell is going on?"

* * *

Michael woke up, and his eyes were still swollen from crying. He noticed Amanda was gone. He knew she would have to go to her classes in the morning and here he was, keeping her up with his problems. Maybe it was better that she did leave. She had her life to continue. He would just be getting in the way of what she had worked so hard for. This whole thing was so unfair to her. He didn't want to get her involved in the mess that was his life. He had even hoped to one day ask Amanda to marry him. But those hopes are now squished. Who was he kidding? He could imagine the crap the tabloids would say, especially after this scandal. She didn't deserve it. She didn't deserve a crazy loon like him. No, he would let her go. It would be the hardest thing he would ever have to do. But how was he going to do it? He didn't have the heart to lie to her. He soon drifted off to sleep on the couch, in the same spot that Amanda had left him some hours ago.

He woke up again around noon, crouched in the fetal position on the couch. He could have slept some more, but his cell phone rang in his jacket pocket and woke him up. Moving as little as he possibly could, he reached in the jacket and took out his phone. It was a message from Amanda. _'Hey baby, I'm done with classes today and I thought I'd come over and keep you company. See you in a bit.' _His heart sank. God he loved this girl. But in his heart he knew that if he loved her, he'd have to let her go. It would kill him to one day have her be put through public ridicule just because she was associated with him.

He called his personal assistant Alex. "Hey Alex, I need you to change all of my phone numbers for me again, please," he paused to hear Alex's reply and said, "thank you."

He hung up the phone and quite unwillingly got off the couch to try to drag himself to his bedroom. He just felt like shutting himself off to the world for awhile. He made his way to the stairs when he stopped to look at his cell phone that had rung again. _'Michael, baby, are you okay?' _His heart broke again. Was it possible for your heart to break three times in one day? He didn't know, but his heart hurt in his chest.

Nanny Grace was coming down the stairs as he tried to make is way up. "Grace, when Amanda comes, tell her I'm not home," he said as he passed her on the stairwell.

"What do I tell her?" she asked him, turning around.

Without stopping he said, "Anything." He made his way to his bedroom, locking the door behind him.

He looked out of his window somberly, watching Amanda bend down to talk to his children so sweetly, wearing the aviators that he had given her on her head. He had a tear in his eye when he watched her leave with a sad look on her face, too.

He took out his cell phone from his jacket again. "Hello Alex? I need you to get someone to change the code on my gate, too."


End file.
